John McDonnell Quotes

That has been our objective since immediately after the referendum. The structures - whether we are in or out - are a secondary matter. We are not ruling anything out but what we are saying is that we are the fifth largest economy in the world and we have a special status in both our relationship with the EU and the rest of the globe and we feel we can get a deal that achieves tariff-free access.

We can't say to people 'Labour wants you to share in the running of your workplace, your community and your environment, but we don't trust you to have the final say over Brexit.'

John McDonnell, the nearest to a hero in both books. McDonnell worked tirelessly and pragmatically. He wanted to win, knowing that unity and a semblance of coherence were fundamental preconditions for victory. He kept up a dialogue with the so-called moderates and spoke out publicly on both anti-Semitism and the Salisbury poisonings, to the point where he and Corbyn did not talk for several months.

My fear is that if we did have another referendum, we might get the same or similar result and the country will still be divided. Somehow we have got to try and bring the country back together again.

I think he's reckless and I think he's unstable and I will move heaven and Earth to stop a no-deal Brexit.

We have to respect the decision that was made in the referendum ... otherwise, to be frank, we undermine all confidence in our democratic process.

Therefore now in the national interest we have got to come together and secure a compromise. If we can't do that, well yes, we have to go back to the people.

When Britain leaves the European Union, free movement of labour and people will then come to an end

The values of Catholicism are the inherent values of the Labour Party and the inherent values of socialism...

We voted for the implementation of Article 50 because we respect the referendum result. But we cannot have this situation where government becomes unaccountable on the implementation of one of the most important decisions for a generation.

I think people out there in the real world, our constituents, just want us to get on with the job of getting the best deal possible for them

[he would be glad to] go back to the 1980s and assassinate Thatcher.

It's time to turn this debate around, drive out politics of despair and offer a vision for Britain in Europe.

We will be cut off from our biggest trading partner. We will be cut off from the skills and contribution that EU nationals have made to our economy and society.

This means we must not try to re-fight the referendum or push for a second vote and if Article 50 needs to be triggered in Parliament Labour will not seek to block or delay it.