The post you are reporting:
Courtesy of the Times.
Labour has pledged to hold a “massive listening exercise” after seven MPs resigned from the party.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said his party had to address some of the criticisms levelled at it after Tom Watson, the party’s deputy leader, warned of a further exodus unless there were reforms. Other shadow cabinet members responded by saying they were disappointed that the seven MPs had left and called for unity around the Labour manifesto that voters backed in large numbers at the last general election.
But Mr McDonnell, who on Monday urged the seven who quit to resign from parliament and trigger by-elections in their seats, went further saying that he had listened carefully to what Mr Watson had said at an angry and emotional meeting of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) last night. He told Sky news: “I listened to what Tom Watson said and and I agree with him. We need to start listening and that is what we will do.” He want on: “We need a mammoth, massive listening exercise and [to] address some of those criticisms that have been made.” “I think we are finding the way forward but has to be on basis of taking the advice of Tom Watson and the PLP and others.”
He also played down suggestions that more than 30 Labour MPs had considered joining the new breakaway group, saying he did not think the potential defections were “on that scale”. But the “Labour leadership — and I’m part of that — we need to keep listening, bring people in, talk to them,” he said. “If there are issues we need to address we will address them. If it is about the style of the leadership we will address that. If it is about policy we listen to that as well.” Mr McDonnell said the “only disagreement we have had within the party is around how we handle Brexit and I think we are bringing people together on that”.
