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The Shadow Chancellor gave a speech at Trafalgar Square on stage at a rally depicting banners depicting well known far-left leaders on Tuesday. The prominent Labour figure has been linked with socialist movements in the past before he rose to become one of the most well-known Labour Party figures. In pictures obtained by Express.co.uk, the MP for Hayes and Harlington is seen next to the infamous hammer and sickle as the second most powerful man in the Labour party addressed gatherers who came to protest on May Day.

Despite the vast death toll caused by certain Communist leaders such as Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin, Mr McDonnell came to a rally where Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also appeared in previous years.

Last year Mr McDonnell was pictured at a Marxist talk where he admitted: “I am here to reject the politics of fear promoted by the British establishment who don't want us to discuss the ideas of Marxism.”

Although both Mr Corbyn and Mr McDonnell have been linked to Communism, the party has constantly labelled itself as a Social Democratic party that was founded in centre-left politics.

The leading figures in Labour's links to certain socialist ideals have at times been damaging for a party that has been trying to challenge the Tories.

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