John McDonnell Mocked For Channelling John Lennon In Labour Conference Speech

'You may say I'm a dreamer'. If only they were, John.
Matt Crossick/Matt Crossick

The Shadow Chancellor’s speech was called “the political equivalent of David Brent” and “reheated mantras of a bygone era” by the Lib Dems after he echoed Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’, about a better world.

He told the Liverpool conference: “In the birthplace of John Lennon, it falls to us to inspire people to imagine. Imagine the society that we can create. It’s a society that’s radically transformed, radically fairer, more equal and more democratic.

The Lib Dems’ jibe was just the beginning.

Some imagined there was no policy...

Nice for McDonnell to credit Lennon with writing Imagine, given that it forms the 2020 Labour manifesto in full.

— Gary Bainbridge (@Gary_Bainbridge) September 26, 2016

Others imagined there was no electoral strategy...

In 2007 conference speech after change of PM, Osborne set agenda with inheritance tax threshold pledge. McDonnell is quoting song lyrics.

— Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) September 26, 2016

Or that there was no editing...

"In the birthplace of John Lennon, it falls to us to make people imagine again," says McDonnell in a line that somehow reached final draft.

— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) September 26, 2016

It wasn’t hard to do...

McDonnell: "In the birthplace of John Lennon, it falls to us to inspire people to imagine." I believe the phrase is "delete your account".

— Alex Wickham (@WikiGuido) September 26, 2016

No reference to Lennon’s earlier work...

#McDonnell quotes John Lennon's 'Imagine' at #Lab16 Here's another Lennon/Beatles song,Taxman,protesting at the then Lab govts 95% tax rate! pic.twitter.com/gpm9P2UU6q

— John A (@r3darmy) September 26, 2016

...And no debate on Brexit, too

John McDonnell quoting "imagine" - a song which dreams of a future without borders - on the day that Labour leadership accept Brexit

— Alisdair Calder (@A_C_McGregor) September 26, 2016

Imagine all the parties...

Mocking Labour as one...

. @SamCoatesTimes pic.twitter.com/lKLMIBYvUC

— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) September 26, 2016

Lib Dem economic spokeswoman Susan Kramer said of McDonnell’s effort: “To be fair most speech writers say open with a gag and when he said ‘we have to become a government in waiting’, he delivered a decent joke.”

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