People are taking to social media to remind Labour’s new shadow Chancellor of his assertion that he would "swim through vomit" to oppose the Government’s proposed welfare bill.
MP John McDonnell, who has been selected as Labour’s Shadow Chancellor by Jeremy Corbyn, said he would oppose the bill, which is designed to cut welfare spending by £12 billion.
Debating the bill in July, the MP for Hayes and Harlington announced:
"I would swim through vomit to vote against this bill. And listening to some of the nauseating speeches in support of it, I might have to."
Mr McDonnell was among 48 Labour MPs who defied Harriet Harman's call to abstain on the bill by voting against it. Harman was acting Labour leader at the time.
Now we'll see how much vomit John McDonnell is really willing to swim through.
— Laurence Dodds (@LFDodds) September 13, 2015
New Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said he'd "swim through vomit" to vote against the Tory Welfare Bill. Top man.
— Briefcase Michael (@BriefcaseMike) September 13, 2015
John McDonnell, shadow Chancellor said that he would “swim through vomit” to oppose the Conservatives’ welfare bill. That's opposition!
— Paul Chadwick (@dixiedean9) September 14, 2015
The Labour MP who said he would 'swim through vomit' to oppose welfare bill http://t.co/9vS9mPVcUT - great clarity and sentiment
— Chris Southall (@chrisjsuk) July 25, 2015
However, the hard-left MP is considered a controversial figure. He has previously said he wanted to “assassinate” Margaret Thatcher and gave a speech “honouring” members of the IRA.
