Jeremy Corbyn’s claim to stand for a “kinder, gentler” politics was once again exposed as a sham this morning as he refused to condemn his MPs for using inflammatory and hateful language. The Labour leader failed to condemn Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell for calling Tory minister Esther McVey a “stain on humanity”. Moments earlier Corbyn confirmed there would be no special ‘respect pledge’ for Labour candidates after Tory Chairman Brandon Lewis announced the Conservatives are launching the measure. Remember McDonnell also “joked” about Esther McVey being “lynched”…

Here is the clip of @johnmcdonnellMP from 2014 repeating comments about ‘lynching’ Tory MP Esther McVey #bbcsp pic.twitter.com/92MJTbYLX9

— BBC Daily Politics and Sunday Politics (@daily_politics) 14 January 2018

Over on BBC One’s Sunday Politics, Labour’s Barry Gardiner also refused to condemn McDonnell, saying only: “it’s not language I would use”. 

Will @jeremycorbyn and @UKLabour ever call for a second EU referendum on the Brexit deal? #Peston pic.twitter.com/bxCl5PcM72

— Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) 14 January 2018

Earlier in his Peston on Sunday interview, Corbyn again failed to rule out the possibility of a second referendum on EU membership. He also said he does not consider the special relationship with the United States is Britain’s most important bilateral relationship. New year, same old Jezza…