General election: Labour candidate under fire over abusive comments has undergone 'transformation'
John McDonnell says the party is about introducing people to new ideas - and Ian Byrne has been through a transformation.
Tuesday 12 November 2019 08:47, UK
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has come to the defence of an under-fire Labour candidate, claiming they have undergone "a transformation" since joining the party.
Ian Byrne, who is standing for Labour in Liverpool West Derby, is facing possible deselection by the party's National Executive Committee following a series of news stories about abusive social media comments he made in the past.
Mr Byrne has said he is "mortified" by the posts, which include misogynistic and abusive language towards female politicians, mocking disabled athletes and an apparent joke about wife-beating.
He insists the comments were made several years ago, and that he is a "very different person".
Mr McDonnell was one of Mr Byrne's most high-profile backers when he put himself forward in the selection race for the safe Labour seat of Liverpool West Derby.
In an interview with Sky News, John McDonnell said he was continuing to support Mr Byrne's candidacy.
"Ian in the past has made statements, some years ago, that he now regrets," the shadow chancellor said.
"But the good thing about the Labour Party is we recruit people, we introduce them to new ideas particularly around equality and actually they learn and they are transformed individually, and I think that's what's happened to Ian over the years.
"I come from a Catholic background and I have a great belief in the powers of conversion, and that's what we do.
"What we've seen in Ian Byrne is a transformation from years ago, and the statements he made, into someone who I know has worked in the Liverpool community establishing food banks, working with others and on equality issues as well - people change, and we've got to accept that."
A number of other shadow cabinet ministers who had previously endorsed Mr Byrne for the candidacy in Liverpool West Green echoed Mr McDonnell.
Laura Pidcock, shadow employment rights minister, said on Twitter: "The Labour movement is about educating people and it has done that throughout our history. It must be a space to learn, grow and fulfil potential.
"Ian Byrne has shown real understanding of his past mistakes and in my view his actions speak loudly about that journey."
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon also posted: "I think what John says about how Ian, by getting involved in the Labour movement, has become a better person is a very important point."
Labour Party chair Ian Lavery also signalled his support, writing: "Ian Byrne will be a fantastic working class Labour MP. He's been on a long difficult journey."
Mr Byrne's social media posts have however prompted criticisms from some other Labour figures, with Stella Creasy tweeting: "The acid test for any Labour member about whether action should be taken here by the NEC is if you could defend this kind of 'banter' on the doorstep.
"If you think you could, you probably need to take a long and hard look at whether you should be in a party of equality at all."
Sky News understands Labour's governing body convened a panel to investigate Mr Byrne's past posts over the weekend, but did not come to a decision.
After some NEC members raised concerns that the panel was not made up with a majority of female members it was decided the panel would be reconvened on Tuesday with a different gender balance.
A senior NEC source confirmed to Sky News that the governing body had received several representations from Mr Byrne's local constituency party urging them not to deselect him, but said the job of the panel was to assess whether the social media comments would "damage the party nationally".
The questions over Mr Byrne's possible deselection have prompted angry responses from some Labour activists in Liverpool.
Some supporters of his candidacy have posted on social media suggesting figures connected to the pro-Corbyn grassroot activist network Momentum were behind hostile leaks to the media in an effort to overturn the selection.
Mr Byrne beat runner-up Angela Coleman earlier this month by 222 votes to 219.
A local councillor posted a message online claiming a regional youth wing of the Unite union and Momentum had "conspired" to leak the comments to the media.
The youth wing concerned immediately denied the suggestion and the tweet was later deleted.
Another local party branch chairman posted a screenshot on Twitter apparently showing him cancelling his direct debit to the organisation, with the message "see ya Momentum".
A spokesperson for Momentum said: "We didn't have any involvement in the panel, and we didn't back a candidate in the West Derby selection."
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