| John McDonnell urged workers to “seize the moment” of the general election during a passionate speech at the annual May Day demonstration. The Shadow Chancellor branded soaring foodbank demand, childhood poverty and low wages a “bloody disgrace” as he spoke to hundreds of demonstrators in central London on International Workers' Day. Urging voters to back Labour on June 8, he said it was their chance to oust Prime Minister Theresa May from No 10. And he aped Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson by borrowing from Latin in a rousing five-minute appearance, saying: “This is our opportunity, brothers and sisters. “Some of us have worked for this all our lives, so the message is this; yes, carpe diem – seize the moment. “This is our chance - take it, brothers and sisters. Solidarity.” Placard-holding demonstrators chanted “the workers united will never defeated” as they heard from a series of speakers at the traditional May Day rally. There was tighter security than in previous years, with police ringing Trafalgar Square. Standing beneath Nelson's Column, Mr McDonnell said the Labour movement “will only return to power in June if now we recognise – all of us, individually – our responsibilities”. He added: “Our responsibility now in these coming weeks is to mobilise all the support we possibly can.” Mr McDonnell highlighted what the failure of Conservative policies since 2010.“We know now there are a million people on zero hours contracts after seven years of a Tory government,” he told protesters. “There are now one in 10 workers in insecure employment and the result is low wages and the result is one-and-a-quarter million food parcels handed out last year through our food banks. "Four million of our children live in poverty, two thirds of them are in families where people are at work – and yet we are the sixth richest country in the world. “What do you call that? I call that a bloody disgrace, don't you?” As rain began to fall, he also read a message from Jeremy Corbyn . The Labour leader said: “May Day greetings for peace around the world. “Workers together won rights to organise and be represented. “The policies we have announced on rights at work this week all have their origins in working class organisations and demands. “United, we can win.” |