Jeremy Corbyn has revealed his controversial choice for the person charged with hammering home Labour's new anti-austerity narrative and sweeping changes to the party's economic policies.
Serial rebel and campaign manager John McDonnell, appointed to the shadow chancellor brief late on Sunday evening, has divided opinion amongst both colleagues and pundits for previous comments made on topics ranging from the IRA to the state of capitalism in Britain.
McDonnell will be charged with translating the anti-austerity message into vote-winning policies as shadow chancellor, while several senior figures who served under Ed Miliband either refused positions or were not offered jobs - including Chuka Umunna.
Corbyn also appointed Angela Eagle as shadow first secretary of state amid accusations of sexism after he handed the top jobs in his shadow cabinet to men.
Labour MP Diana Johnson hit out at "old fashioned male-dominated Labour politics" after Andy Burnham, the only one of Corbyn's three leadership rivals not to refuse to join his frontbench team, was named shadow home secretary, Hilary Benn was kept on as shadow foreign secretary, the fourth of the most senior roles, and veteran Blairite Lord Falconer was given the justice brief.
- Shadow chancellor - John McDonnell
- Shadow foreign secretary - Hilary Benn
- Shadow home secretary - Andy Burnham
- Shadow business secretary - Angela Eagle
- Shadow health secretary - Heidi Alexander
- Shadow justice secretary - Lord Falconer
- Shadow education secretary - Lucy Powell
- Shadow international development secretary - Diane Abbott
- Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury - Seema Malhotra
- Chief whip - Rosie Winterton
In lieu of the veteran MP's appointment to the top Corbyn cabinet post, we reveal McDonnell's six most contentious comments.
Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Chancellor In His Six Most Controversial Quotes
War over welfare(01 of06)
Open Image Modal'Assassinate' Thatcher(02 of06)
Open Image ModalPerhaps his most outlandish comment comes from a leadership hustings in 2010, when McDonnell tried himself to stand himself to replace Gordon Brown after Labour's 2010 election loss.
McDonnell later apologised for his remark, which was dubbed by some as "sickening" and "distasteful". (credit:Wesley via Getty Images)
'Overthrow Of Capitalism'(03 of06)
Open Image ModalWhile touted by some as a tongue-in-cheek remark, McDonnell's 'Who's Who' entry has sparked some contention too.
The new shadow chancellor included "generally fermenting the overthrow of capitalism" in his list of favourite pastimes. (credit:Jonathan Brady/PA Archive)
'Bravery And Sacrifice' Of IRA Members(04 of06)
Open Image ModalIn 2003, McDonnell sparked controversy with an outburst over the Irish Republican Army. His rally to honour the “bravery and sacrifice” of the republican terrorists for taking part in their "armed struggle".
"It's about time we started honouring those people involved in the armed struggle," he announced at a gathering in London to commemorate the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.
"It was the bombs and bullets and sacrifice made by the likes of Bobby Sands that brought Britain to the negotiating table."
Clarifying his remarks, McDonnell added soon after: "Let me be clear, I abhor the killing of innocent human beings. My argument was that republicans had the right to honour those who had brought about this process of negotiation which had led to peace." (credit:Andrew Matthews/PA Archive)
Suspension From The Commons(05 of06)
Open Image ModalMcDonnell's sparked uproar and earned himself a five-day suspension from Parliament for violating a sacred Commons tradition.
The MP, who's constituency includes Heathrow, picked up the ceremonial mace and placed it down on one of the chamber's empty green benches, angrily lamenting that a lack of a vote on a proposed runway by his own party in government was "a disgrace to the democracy of this country".
Watch the event as it unfurled, below.
His run-in with deputy speaker Alan Haselhurst did not go down well with fellow MPs.
Rumblings And Rebellion(06 of06)
Open Image ModalLabour's new leader was well-known amongst his colleagues as a frequent defier of party staffer's whips - instructions for MPs to vote one way or another on Commons motions.
But his new shadow chancellor is reportedly the only other Labour MP to trump Corbyn's record - taking the parliamentary mantel of rebelling against his own party's official line more times in the 2010-15 parliament than any of his colleagues. (credit:Peter Jordan/PA Wire)