Labour Party MP for Hayes and Harlington.
One of Labour's most prominent left-wing dissidents, John McDonnell voted against the government's Immigration and Asylum Bill at Second Reading in July 2026 — one of five rebel votes he has cast against his own party this parliament. He also broke with Labour to oppose regulations removing elected councillors' oversight of small planning applications, voted against measures cutting support for failed asylum seekers, and backed a Privileges Committee referral of Prime Minister Starmer over allegations he misled the House on Peter Mandelson's vetting. That last vote came under a three-line whip in the opposite direction.
At 86% participation and 92.8% party alignment, McDonnell votes with Labour the vast majority of the time — but his deviations are consistent and ideological. His voting record sits 66 percentage points above his party average on asylum seeker rights, and well above average on welfare protection and opposition to disability benefit cuts. He scores 100% on progressive taxation and 0% on opposing tax increases. His 270 contributions span defence, the economy, social care, and health, reflecting a broad rather than narrowly specialist focus. He has no current committee seat.
McDonnell had the Labour whip suspended and later restored in September 2025 — reportedly without compromising his positions — which frames his continued dissent as deliberate rather than accidental. His Hayes and Harlington seat borders Heathrow, and longstanding opposition to airport expansion has been a defining local issue for him. Recent news coverage is mixed: positive on his public activism, neutral-to-negative on immigration and crime-related stories. Older coverage data dominates the high-impact results, so the full picture of his current local standing is incomplete.
The Rt Hon John McDonnell is the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, and has been an MP continually since 1 May 1997.
Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.
Source · The Public Whip · Hansard
Moments where the whip was free, or where McDonnell broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.
| Date | Bill / motion | Vote | Whip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 2026 | Immigration and Asylum Bill: Second Reading | No | vs party |
| 8 Jul 2026 | Draft Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026 | No | vs party |
| 28 Apr 2026 | Privilege | Yes | vs party |
Source · Hansard
“Language dividing disabled people from taxpayers is stigmatising and false; young people with mental health issues are being unfairly targeted; detailed analysis must counter misin…”
“Supports regulation but emphasizes that true reform requires giving ownership and control to leaseholders themselves; calls for lower conversion thresholds (35% instead of 50%) and…”
“Civil service pension administration by Capita has failed; the government should commit to insourcing pension administration back to public control as part of its forthcoming updat…”
“Warns deal politicises NICE and transfers decision-making from NHS to Department; recalls PM's commitment that NHS would not be on negotiating table; calls for impact assessment an…”
Bluesky is the only social platform we ingest at the row level. The strip below is computed by classifying each post for substance (vs reposts, social mentions, scheduling) and then by tone (critical / measured / supportive) per target.
| When | Topic | Tone | Excerpt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May | Local Government | measured | “Restore democracy to London Labour! labourhub.org.uk/2026/05/31/r...” |
McDonnell holds no select-committee seat this session. New 2024-intake MPs typically wait one term before being appointed.
| Department | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Treasury | 43 | 13.8% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 35 | 11.3% |
| Ministry of Defence | 33 | 10.6% |
| Department of Health and Social Care | 30 | 9.6% |
| Home Office | 30 | 9.6% |
| Department for Transport | 30 | 9.6% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 20 | 6.4% |
| Department for Education | 15 | 4.8% |
With reference to the speech by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to the Institute for Government on 29 June 2026, whether Ministers make operational decisions regarding the deployment of Officers of Revenue & Customs appointed under Section 2 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005, and if she will make a statement.
Awaiting answer.
What her estimate is of Corporation Tax relief for qualifying shipping company groups in the Tonnage Tax in 2026-27.
Awaiting answer.
Which train companies install defibrillators on trains for i) DFT Operator Ltd managed Train Operating Companies (TOCs), and ii) DFT franchised TOCs.
Awaiting answer.
What discussions (a) her Department and (b) HMRC has had with recognised trade unions in HMRC regarding the (i) introduction and (ii) use of automated decision-making systems affecting staff.
Awaiting answer.
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) Administration and coordination of the PCS Parliamentary Group, which I chair, by Solidarity Consulting Ltd, from 15 October 2025 to 14 October 2026, value £36,077 |
Rail, Maritime and Transport Union Administration and coordination of the RMT Parliamentary Group, which I chair, provided by Solidarity Consulting Ltd from 13 October 2025 to 12 October 2026, value £25,091 |
Rail, Maritime and Transport Union Administration and coordination of the RMT Parliamentary Group, which I chair, provided by Solidarity Consulting Ltd from 12 October 2024 to 11 October 2025, value £22,211 |
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) Administration and coordination of the PCS Parliamentary Group, which I chair, by Solidarity Consulting Ltd, from 15 October 2024 to 14 October 2025, value £34,358, value £34,358 |
Source · Members API · Last amended 4 Nov 2025
| Category | £ | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing | 238,247 | 88.6% |
| Office Costs | 30,701 | 11.4% |
| Total · 61 claims | 268,948 | 100% |
Source · IPSA · FY 24_25
Nothing tabled for McDonnell on the published Order Paper this week.
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hayes and Harlington | 20,405 | 53.3% | Won |
| 2019 | Hayes and Harlington | 24,545 | 55.8% | Won |
| 2017 | Hayes and Harlington | 31,796 | 66.5% | Won |
| 2015 | Hayes and Harlington | 26,843 | 59.6% | Won |
| 2010 | Hayes and Harlington | 23,377 | 54.8% | Won |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| John McDonnellWON | Lab | 20,405 | 53.3 |
Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Hayes and Harlington →