[Osem]

John McDonnell is at the centre of a row about whether he endorsed a statement before the election advocating doing away with MI5, special police forces and armed officers.

The controversy broke out after it emerged the shadow chancellor’s name was on a long list, apparently of people who had signed a statement by the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory (SCLV).

The final paragraph of the 12-point document states: “Disband MI5 and special police squads, disarm the police.”

The shadow chancellor’s office said on Thursday he believed no such thing and denied he had ever signed the statement, which was prepared before May 2015.

“The letter has never been put in front of John and he’s never signed it,” a spokesman said, pointing out that he had supported extra funding for the security services in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

Sources close to McDonnell suggested his name might have been included in the list because of a cut and paste error. “These things are normally websites managed by one person and it’s their little hobby horse and it’s not very credible … It’s probably people getting a little bit carried away and just whacking something up.”

However, the Sun then produced a picture of McDonnell holding what appears to be the document, based on a comparison with the campaign material on the SCLV website.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...-disarm-police

What sort of party is Corbyn running? They seem to be hell bent on creating a 1970's style loony left London borough.