Thread by @TimesCorbyn

'Pro-IRA Labour MP faces expulsion'

In 2003, @JohnMcDonnellMP was nearly expelled from the Labour Party over his fawning, sickening, shameful honouring & praise of IRA murderers and terrorists. This & following threads will reveal what happened. 1/8

@johnmcdonnellMP 'A Labour MP sparked outrage last night by declaring the that IRA terrorists should be honoured for carrying out their "armed struggle". John McDonnell... praised the "bravery" of the IRA, whose "bombs & bullets" he said had resulted in a peace process in Northern Ireland.' 2/8

@johnmcdonnellMP 'John McDonnell.... horrified the Labour leadership by declaring that it was time to honour people such as Bobby Sands'

'praised the sacrifice of IRA bombers'

"We are in the last stage of imperialist intervention in Ireland & only armed struggle has stopped it..." 3/8

@johnmcdonnellMP McD: "It is about time we started honouring those people involved in that armed struggle. It was bombs & bullets and sacrifices made by the likes of Bobby Sands that brought Britain to the negotiating table. The peace we have now is due to the unilateral action of the IRA." 4/8

@johnmcdonnellMP David Trimble: "Mr McDonnell's remarks about the IRA, apart from being completely wrong, are crass, insensitive & an insult to the thousands of British people, police, and servicemen who have been murdered maimed & bereaved by the actions of these terrorists" 5/8

@johnmcdonnellMP Trimble: "To label terrorists as brave & to lay blame for the murders, bombs, and beating of Irish republicans at the government's door is a disgusting accusation... He should be expelled from the Labour Party immediately." 6/8

@johnmcdonnellMP Labour spokesman: 'These comments do not represent the views of the Labour Party, [which] condemns unreservedly all atrocities perpetrated by the IRA and other paramilitaries. The actions of terrorists [were] never justified in Northern Ireland.' 7/8

@johnmcdonnellMP 'It is understood that the Labour leadership is horrified by Mr McDonnell's remarks.'

'Mr McDonnell list "generally fomenting the overthrow of capitalism" among his interests in Who's Who.'

Following threads to tonight & tomorrow will look at the context and aftermath. 8/8