John McDonnell defends 'stain on humanity' attack sparking abuse row

John McDonnell has stood by his comments branding a former Tory minister "a stain on humanity", leading to an angry rebuke from a senior Labour figure.

The shadow chancellor told Sky News he was "expressing the justifiable anger" of many when he made his attack on Esther McVey over disability benefits cuts during a comedy night in 2014.

At the same time, the staunch ally of Jeremy Corbyn also insisted the leadership was tackling abuse within the party.

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However, former Labour cabinet minister Yvette Cooper has said Mr McDonnell should apologise for his remarks, arguing his failing to do so "sets a climate of hostility and abuse".

The row deals a blow to Mr Corbyn's stated aim to reach out to MPs after the bruising leadership campaign, marred by claims of abuse, harassment and even death threats.

Defending his comments about Ms McVey, a former MP and disability minister, Mr McDonnell said: "I was expressing an honest view about what I thought her role was and it was a disgraceful role."

Asked if they were the right words to use, he said: "Yes I do.

"It was a parliamentary debate in which I was demonstrating the inhumanity which was being shown to disabled people.

"I was expressing justifiable anger, not just of myself, but I think of large numbers of disabled people right the way across the country.

"It was a stain on humanity on the way people were being treated."

But Ms Cooper told ITV's Peston on Sunday: "It's not okay, it's really, really not okay.

"People do say things in the heat of the moment, but he should have apologised.

"The idea of saying a woman MP, as Esther was at the time, should be lynched. It was just wrong.

"People sometimes say things that they regret - apologise for them.

"Because if you don't it sets a climate of hostility and abuse."

She added: "Jeremy says kinder, gentler politics, he says that he wants to not have any of that abuse and I believe him but he's got to show it through deeds not words.

"How can we stand up against oppression and bullying by the powerful or by the mob, as Labour has always done, if we are not prepared to deal with the minority in our own party."

Responding, Mr McDonnell denied he had said the former Conservative MP should be lynched, but added: "What Esther McVey was doing as a minister for disabled people was forcing people to the edge in terms of cutting their benefits."

He added: "It's perfectly fine to actually express in debate your honest opinion within certain parameters."

Ms McVey, who lost her Wirral West seat at last year's general election, said Mr McDonnell "whips up" a culture of bullying and intimidation.

Meanwhile, Labour backbencher Rachel Reeves has urged her party to heal its divisions in dedication of the late MP Jo Cox.

At the Labour conference, Ms Reeves led a special tribute to the mother of two who was killed after being shot and stabbed in her constituency in June.