McDonnell Forced To Defend His Mao Moment

Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell has been forced to defend himself after being lambasted for quoting brutal despot Mao Zedong in response to the Spending Review.

MPs - including those on the Labour benches - reacted with astonishment after Mr McDonnell brandished Mao’s Little Red Book at George Osborne across the chamber.

Chinese author Diane Wei Liang said it was "chilling" to hear the words of the Chinese leader, whose dictatorship was responsible for the deaths of more than 40m people, used in the House of Commons.

:: McDonnell's Little Red Book Mao-ment

But Mr McDonnell has defended himself, telling Sky News he used the book in a "flamboyant and jocular way" to make a serious point about the Chancellor selling £5bn British assets to "foreign states".

He said: "I was trying to force another issue onto the agenda and I think it’s done that."

Mr McDonnell said it was Mr Osborne who wanted to sell off Britain's assets to a "Maoist regime".

And added that he was particularly concerned about the sale of air traffic control, announced by Mr Osborne in his Spending Review.

:: Spending Review 2015: Key Points

Mr McDonnell brushed off criticism from senior Labour MPs including Chuka Umunna, Chris Leslie and Angela Eagle.

He told Sky: "Within the Commons chamber, of course there's going to be a reaction like that because they're not used to this sort of new politics we're doing of how we raise issues and get them out there."

Labour's former home office minister Tony McNulty tweeted: "Whoever said 'I know, let's see if we can get a quote from Mao's little Red Book to accentuate point' probably shouldn't have done. Really?"

Ed Balls' former policy chief, Karim Palant tweeted: "There is literally nothing that John McDonnell can say now that will make this speech about anything other than Mao. Total unforced error."

It also triggered a number of spoofs on social media.

Mr McDonnell brought out the Red Book and quoted from it after telling Mr Osborne the Communist country would be at the front of the queue to buy British assets. He then threw it down in front of the Chancellor.

In response Mr Osborn opened the book and joked: "Oh look! It's his personal signed copy.

"The problem is half the shadow cabinet have been sent off to re-education."