Shadow Chancellor quotes Mao in scathing attack on Chancellor of the Exchequer

[jimmy olsen]

 Talk about a melodramatic way to commit electoral suicide.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/john-mcdonnell-under-fire-by-labour-mps-after-giving-george-osborne-a-copy-of-chairman-maos-little-a6748991.html

John McDonnell under fire by Labour MPs after giving George Osborne a copy of Chairman Mao's Little Red Book

The shadow Chancellor John McDonnell came under fire from senior Labour MPs after he brandished Chairman Mao's Little Red Book during a scathing attack on George Osborne's handling of the economy.

He provoked uproar when he read from the famous collection of writings by the founder of Communist China and threw the book towards Mr Osborne's Commons despatch box.


Producing the work in an attempt to embarrass the Chancellor over the sale of British assets to China, he quoted from the book and said: "I thought it would come in handy for you in your new relationship."

Mr Osborne opened it, quipped that it was Mr McDonnell's "personal signed copy" and added: "The problem is half the Shadow Cabinet have been sent off to re-education."

Labour aides later stressed that the shadow Chancellor's actions were obviously a joke and that the Little Red Book does [not] reflect the party's thinking, but the episode dismayed centrist MPs.

Chuka Umunna, the former Business Secretary, said: "I haven't quoted a communist before and I have no intention of doing so in the future."


The previous shadow Chancellor, Chris Leslie, told MPs he was more "more interested in the wisdom that is contained in the Big Blue Book from the Office for Budget Responsibility" which sets out the spending figures.

Responding to the Autumn Statement, Mr McDonnell said voters would feel "absolutely betrayed" by Mr Osborne for failing keep promises to eliminate the deficit and get debt falling. He said: "Over the last five years there has barely been a target the Chancellor has set which he hasn't missed or hasn't ignored."

He lambasted the aborted move to cut tax credits by £4.4bn as a "fiasco" and said the plans had been drawn up at the same time as inheritance tax was reduced for the wealthiest families.

Mr McDonnell said the decision to protect police budgets had been forced by opposition pressure, arguing: "We know the first line of intelligence collection and prevention and response are the local police officers in the community so we claim today as another Labour gain and victory."

The shadow Chancellor, who frequently struggled to make himself heard in the Commons, claimed the Government had invested so little in skills and infrastructure that the country's future has been put at risk.

He said: "What we've seen today is the launch of a manifesto for the Conservative leadership election."

[Razgovory]

Old Labor is back!

[Admiral Yi]

So on the one hand he's angry that Osborne hasn't met deficit reduction targets, and on the other he's proud that the opposition stopped Tory plans to reduce the police budget?

BTW, how is the shadow cabinet selected?  Appointed by the party leader, or elected by the party membership?  Based on Comrade McDonnell's behavior I'm guessing the first.

[Martinus]

I am not sure if Tim, Raz and Yi have read the same article I did. Because it clearly is not about "Shadow Chancellor quoting Mao".

[The Brain]

I am not sure if Tim, Raz and Yi have read the same article I did. Because it clearly is not about "Shadow Chancellor quoting Mao".

What is it really about?

[Martinus]

I am not sure if Tim, Raz and Yi have read the same article I did. Because it clearly is not about "Shadow Chancellor quoting Mao".

What is it really about?

It's about Shadow Chancellor attacking the government for making a deal with the authoritarian Chinese regime and using the discredited book by the founder of the said regime as a prop in the attack.

[The Brain]

I am not sure if Tim, Raz and Yi have read the same article I did. Because it clearly is not about "Shadow Chancellor quoting Mao".

What is it really about?

It's about Shadow Chancellor attacking the government for making a deal with the authoritarian Chinese regime and using the discredited book by the founder of the said regime as a prop in the attack.

By quoting Mao.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I am not sure if Tim, Raz and Yi have read the same article I did. Because it clearly is not about "Shadow Chancellor quoting Mao".

What is it really about?

It's about Shadow Chancellor attacking the government for making a deal with the authoritarian Chinese regime and using the discredited book by the founder of the said regime as a prop in the attack.

Yes, but he ballsed it up and looked like a fool. Osborne also made a decent quip at the end of the exchange so he is well ahead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34925962