Speeches by McDonnell.

“People rightfully said, “I did not vote for you as an independent”. “No, you didn’t. That is why I follow the Labour Whip. As far as I am concerned, I am a Labour MP. I am suspended from the Whip, but I am still a Labour MP.” What has happened now is, because you have an independent group—the technical group—people thi…”

“Whoever is to blame, let me know and I will write to them.”

“I have a regular conversation with the Chief Whip on a number of topics, as you can imagine. However, on this, I don’t think it was the party processes that got involved. It was the House procedures. I think the parties largely followed the descriptors that the House lays down. That is why I wrote to the Speaker and no…”

“Usually, when there is a disciplinary matter that is based upon crime or something like that, it is more of a permanent exclusion, permanent withdrawal. The Whip down is a political suspension. That is the usual practice of the House. But, as I say, I don’t think this is a huge issue. I think it is just a matter of cla…”

“It does not read well, does it? Any form of words that basically incorporates the two. It just depicts that I am Labour. I am following the Labour Whip. I am a Labour party member. I was elected as a Labour MP, but I am suspended at the moment. There has to be some form of words that enables that to be depicted when we…”

“That is a good point. When it is a suspension, it should be honestly depicted as that. That is my view. Otherwise, it draws absolute confusion. If someone is resigning the Whip, resigning from the party and all the rest, but they were elected on a party basis, I have always argued they should go back to the people who …”

“I understand. I think you have covered most of the issues with the two real independents that were here earlier, the Select Committees and Bill Committees considerations. I think there is a lesson to be learned for the House overall about flexibility, because you want to draw upon the expertise of individual MPs, parti…”

“Ageism is creeping in here, but go on, yes.”

“I don’t want to waste your time. The reason I have raised this through the Speaker is because it is exactly that. The accuracy of the depiction of me and my role, as I play it and as I have always played it.”

“I feel a bit of a fraud being here because the only reason I am here is because I wrote to the Speaker and said, “I am classified when I vote, and the media have picked this up as well, as an independent”. I am not. I was not elected as an independent MP. I was elected as a Labour MP. I have had the Whip suspended, not…”

“I am John McDonnell, the Member of Parliament for Hayes and Harlington.”

“Yes; that is why I only want one word inserted.”

“I get the impression that anything you say now will be used in evidence against you at a future date. It is a hypothetical question and, to be honest, that is not anywhere near the ballgame we are at. There were seven people suspended, none of them wanted to form a political group, none of them have any intention to fo…”

“Not a group; I have no intention of forming a group. I have made that extremely explicit all the way through. That would be contrary to the Labour party rules—a party within a party—and we would never seek to do that.”

“The parties themselves have to have the ability to depict who they are, and that should relate to the depiction that the candidate had as part of that party when they stood, but as actions of the party take place they should also be allowed, therefore, to ensure that that depiction is updated.”

“Yes.”

“There might be some literary offences, definitely. I am not arguing for that. I think that when people stand for election, the descriptor that they use then to the electorate is the one that they should hold to.”

“I think there is a role for the party to have a say. I would expect, particularly in my situation, the Labour party would want clarity, which is that I am Labour, and I am suspended. If the party wants to go further than that, I think that does imply that it is furthering the disciplinary process. If that is the case, …”

“The way the House operates at the moment is party labels. I think that is the best way to do it. If people want to describe themselves, because they were elected as independents and they want to describe themselves as independents, that is fine, but I think for clarity purposes the party labels are useful. That is why …”

“I don’t think people are interested in the record of crimes against the party. It is as simple as that. All I am asking for—I think Ian agrees—is I don’t think people are interested in the ins and outs; they just want to know your status. At the moment, is John McDonnell independent? Well, that is not the case. Is John…”