Coming soon (like today) - my interview with @johnmcdonnellMP for @BritishGQ - too topical and interesting to hold for the magazine so will be online text and video first. Love him or hate him, fear him or respect him, he is one of the most interesting politicians of 2019. 1/8
We talk elections/referendums -he wants the first but insists there must be the second. And he will not be neutral. Brexit policy ‘a vase’. Says no way of doing Brexit without undermining GFA. Believes @UKLabour can win GE but If they don’t he and @jeremycorbyn will step down 2/8
Insists next leader must be a woman. Also insists there will be no deals with Libs or SNP and minority government preferable to coalition or deals. Water will be first nationalisation. Living wage, trade union law and end to austerity the first economic priorities. 3/8
Full of praise for TB on Ireland and GB on child poverty and public service investment. Says he was against my expulsion and urges me to reapply. ‘Come back Alastair - all is forgiven.’Says there is no Tory past or present he respects. Says austerity killing his constituents 4/8
As a young man felt he had a vocation to be priest but gradually lost his faith. Says Jesus was a socialist. Admits political views broadly unchanged. Wants to rehabilitate Marx reputation. Attacks Putin as creating gangster state. 5/8
Still a Republican but angry at the way @BorisJohnson abused position of queen. Warns he is unleashing forces he won’t be able to control via populism. Warns parliamentary democracy and rule of law under threat. 6/8
More improbably claims Corbyn ‘the fittest man I know’. Admits he last got drunk in Madrid celebrating Liverpool CL win. But warns top players he will tackle their wages along with bankers’ bonuses. Wants Leveson 2 and wider media ownership. 7/8
Critical of colleagues who use private or grammar schools. Claims @UKLabour on top of anti-Semitism and admits the move against @tom_watson was a fiasco. All in all fascinating chat. Hope you enjoy 8/8
