John McDonnell joins Arlene Foster in attack on PM 'you can't trust'
by Rajeev SyalShadow chancellor backs DUP leader’s criticism of Boris Johnson as Labour vows to end austerity in February
In his final pre-election speech, John McDonnell has repeatedly attacked Boris Johnson for being untrustworthy and making promises he did not intend to keep.
The shadow chancellor said the leader of the DUP, Arlene Foster, was correct when she questioned the prime minister’s word as he outlined plans for Labour’s first 100 days in government.
His comments came at a launch of Labour’s priorities in its first 100 days in office, including a promise to end austerity on 5 February with a first budget if elected to government on Thursday.
Labour is expected to intensify criticisms of Johnson’s reliability in the final three days of the campaign as it seeks to close down a 14-point deficit behind the Conservatives in the polls.
McDonnell said he agreed with Foster, who on Monday morning indicated that she could not trust the prime minister after he broke his word over the Brexit deal in Northern Ireland.
“Isn’t it interesting that as the prime minister tours around different constituencies, he finds it incredibly difficult even to mix with people … What we’re getting back on the doorstep is he’s probably the least trusted politician that people have ever experienced.
“Arlene Foster, I think, has come to a judgment this morning which is echoed right the way across the country; this is a man whose word you cannot trust.
“I agree with Arlene Foster – you won’t hear those words very often – you can’t trust him,” he said.
At his final major speech of the campaign, held in Waterloo, central London, McDonnell said: “My first act as chancellor will be to write to the Office for Budget Responsibility, asking them to begin their preparations for my first budget, which will be given on 5 February – the date when almost 10 years of cuts will come to an end.”
He said the three priorities for the Treasury of the next Labour government would be to end austerity in social security and public services, invest in communities as part of Labour’s green industrial revolution, and bring key utilities into public ownership under democratic management.
The planned measures include putting more money into an emergency package of reforms to universal credit while Labour designs a replacement social security system, introducing a real living wage of £10 an hour for workers over 16, providing funding for a 5% pay rise for all public sector workers and enacting the department spending plans promised in Labour’s “grey book”, Funding Real Change, putting billions more into schools, hospitals and social care.
McDonnell said Labour must confront the two problems of a climate crisis and the devastation wrought by 10 years of austerity.
“There is a twin emergency in this country. These next few days are going to be key in addressing them,” he said.
“Our green industrial revolution will deliver the changes we need to avert climate catastrophe. And it will put British industry back on the map, bringing prosperity to every part of our country. It will give every community something to be proud of.”
McDonnell also used his speech on Monday to set out fresh details of Labour’s nationalisation plans, including creating people’s assemblies as part of the oversight for the renationalised utilities.
McDonnell has said he “would expect” the DUP to support a Labour government’s programme but ruled out any attempt at a pact if the party failed to win a outright majority.
“If we were in a minority position, there’d be no deals, no pacts, no coalitions or anything like that.
“It will be up to other parties to actually take their decision on what aspects of that programme they’ll support and those that they don’t.
“Over the years I have worked with individual DUP politicians. I can’t see them voting against the real living wage, I can’t see them voting against the levels of investment that we want to put in right the way across the country, including Northern Ireland.”
Asked to comment on a report in the Sunday Times which claimed that McDonnell could take over as an interim leader if Labour lose and Corbyn resigns, he said that it was not a valid question because Labour would win.