Many a True Word is Spoken in Jest

John McDonnell: “They [the Tories] are social criminals and one day, I warn you, we will try them.”

Interviewer Iain Dale: “But ‘try them’? Under what law?”

John McDonnell: “I might want to invent it.”

Mr McDonnell also said that he would send Jeremy Corbyn to Buckingham Palace in a taxi to tell the Queen Labour is “taking over” if Boris Johnson loses a no-confidence vote.

We're sure the Shadow Chancellor was speaking in jest. At least we hope he was because these are not the words of somebody who believes in democracy, despite his frequent use of the term otherwise. These are the words of an oppressive, one-party dictatorship.

Those who subscribe to, and believe in, real democracy, do not 'take over' or 'invent' laws. John McDonnell would do well to remember that he himself was elected by the people of Hayes and Harlington and he can be un-elected by them as well. Surely the population of that constituency cannot be comprised solely of the far-left?

So we are equally sure that Mr McDonnell was joking. At least we hope he was.

Many true word however...