Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ukip are an “evil force” in British society that pits people against each other, the shadow chancellor has told Labour-aligned activists.
John McDonnell made the comments at a rally organised by the campaign group Momentum ahead of a key by-election in Oldham where Ukip are expected to challenge Jeremy Corbyn’s party for a seat.
He warned that the right-wing eurosceptic party must not win the seat, which was left vacant at the death of late Labour MP Michael Meacher.
“We cannot allow what I think is an evil force within our society – that divides society often on the basis of race, often on the basis on some of the crudest policies that you can imagine any political party advocating,” he told the event according to a report in The Spectator magazine.
“We cannot allow them to get any form of toehold within our political system and that’s why it’s about defeating them but more importantly, defeating them – a clear contrast in terms of a sincere, local committed socialist candidate.”
The eurosceptic party is expected to do well in the seat on the basis that it came close to winning in the neighbouring Labour-held Heywood and Middleton constituency at a by-election in 2014.
At the last general election Ukip gained 20.6 per cent in the seat to Labour’s 54.8 per cent.
Labour’s candidate in the by-election is Jim McMahon, leader of the local Oldham borough council. Ukip’s candidate is John Bickley, who previously contested the Wythenshawe and Sale by-election, as well as the Heywood and Middleton by-election.
While Ukip gained 12 per cent of the national vote at the 2015 general election it was left with only one seat, retaining Clacton in Essex but losing Rochester and Strood in Kent.
It had previously won both seats at by-election during the previous parliament.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments