John McDonnell calls for 1m people to ‘get out on the streets’ to build pressure for another election
2 min read
John McDonnell has called on 1m people to “get out on the streets” in order to build pressure on Theresa May to call another election.
In comments reported by the Morning Star the Shadow Chancellor urged the Trades Union Congress and other unions to mobilise their members to march against the Prime Minister.
A protest is being planned by left wing groups on 1 July against Mrs May’s plan to strike a confidence and supply deal with the DUP.
Speaking at the annual conference of the food-workers union the BFAWU, Mr McDonnell said: “We need people doing everything they can to ensure the election comes as early as possible.”
“What we need now is the TUC mobilised, every union mobilised, get out on the streets.
“Just think if the TUC put out that call - that we want a million on the streets of London in two weeks’ time.”
Mr McDonnell also explained that fellow Labour MPs would be asked to serve on the front bench when there are vacancies “in a spirit of comradeship”.
It comes after Jeremy Corbyn carried out a post-election reshuffle yesterday evening, with his former challenger for the leadership, Owen Smith, being appoint Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary.
Labour outperformed expectations at the election, winning 262 seats, with the Tories falling eight short of an expected majority.
Mr Corbyn has said he stands ready to form a minority government should Mrs May fail to do so herself.
In an interview with the Morning Star, Mr McDonnell said: “I don’t think this government is a legitimate government. It hasn’t got an overall majority.
“The deal it’s doing with the Democratic Unionist Party, we’ve still not seen what it is, but again it’s a backroom deal which I think is unconstitutional and undemocratic.”
He argued Labour “should have the same right to put policies forward in Parliament, to be properly debated and voted upon.”
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