Portrait of Jeremy Corbyn
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Jeremy Corbyn on John McDonnell

Close political ally (strong)

TL;DR

Jeremy Corbyn has consistently shown strong support and alliance with John McDonnell throughout their shared political careers.

Key Points

  • Corbyn publicly defended McDonnell against claims he supported violent insurrection in September 2015, characterizing past rhetoric as a "colourful use of words."

  • He co-sponsored a Military Action Bill with McDonnell and other left-wing MPs that aimed to require parliamentary approval for foreign use of UK military bases.

  • Corbyn paid tribute to his “old friends” in the party like McDonnell, describing them as “very active and very good people” even while in opposition to the current leadership.

Summary

Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have historically maintained a very close political association, often characterized as being each other's closest allies. This is evidenced by Corbyn's public defense of McDonnell against accusations concerning past statements and his joint political activities, such as co-sponsoring parliamentary bills. Corbyn, for instance, defended his shadow chancellor against claims he supported violent insurrection, suggesting McDonnell used a "colourful use of language" but was not in favour of violence.

This alliance continued even after Corbyn's leadership, with both figures collaborating on left-wing parliamentary initiatives, such as co-sponsoring a bill to require parliamentary approval for the foreign use of British military bases. Furthermore, Corbyn previously praised McDonnell as one of the “very active and very good people” within the party structure, highlighting a sustained positive relationship spanning their leadership and backbench careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Jeremy Corbyn's position on John McDonnell is one of a very close and long-standing political ally. He has historically supported McDonnell publicly, especially when McDonnell faced controversy. Their collaboration has extended to joint political initiatives in parliament.

Yes, Jeremy Corbyn has publicly defended John McDonnell against accusations, such as those related to supporting violent protest. He acknowledged the strong language used but insisted neither he nor McDonnell supported insurrection. This occurred around September 2015.

More recently, Jeremy Corbyn referred to John McDonnell as one of his “old friends” and described him as a "very active and very good person." This comment came as they collaborated on left-wing parliamentary efforts outside the main party structure.