Tuesday lunchtime update:
The BBC reports that 24 hours later, McDonnell has apologised for his "joke" about Margaret Thatcher:
"In that audience everyone took it as a joke and in that atmosphere and
that audience it was just a normal joke .. but I can understand, if
people have taken offence I can understand. I'm not the sort of person
that would want to upset people."
—
LabourList reports the disgusting remarks at a hustings of John McDonnell, the Left-wing candidate for the Labour leadership, who is unlikely to reach the ballot paper due to lack of support:
John McDonnell says he was on the GLC – and that if he could go back in
time and do one thing, he would visit the 1980s and "assassinate
Thatcher".
LabourLists's Alex Smith says "the wisdom of such a statement really has to be questioned".
McDonnell's statement is utterly despicable and I hope that his rivals will condemn him for it.
Jonathan Isaby
Wednesday 7am: The Scotsman reports an apology from Mr McDonnell: "I'm sorry if I have caused offence to anyone. It was a joke."