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Former Labour frontbencher Chris Williamson ignored Mr McDonnell’s request and appeared on the show to discuss the Russian spy poisoning on Thursday. Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said in March that he will no longer appear on Kremlin-sponsored TV station Russia Today and called for fellow party members to do the same. The party has been criticised for appearances on the Kremlin-sponsored news channel at a time when Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is grilled for “siding with Russia” over claims the country was responsible for the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson labelled the Labour leader as Russia’s “spin machine” in a series of tweets attacking the politician.

Getty•RT Labour MP Chris Williamson claimed the Government are using Russia as "political point scoring"

It seems to me the Government were indulging in political point scoring Chris Williamson

Mr McDonnell said he had appeared on the news channel in the past to raise certain issues but said: "I think we have to step back now." He added: "I can understand why people have appeared on RT up until now because we have treated it like every other television station. "We tried to be fair with them and as long as they abide by journalistic standards that are objective that's fine but it looks as if they have gone beyond that line, so yes, we will have that discussion." Labour MP Chris Williamson used his appearance on RT UK to bash the Foreign Secretary after he suggested defence research laboratory Porton Down had confirmed the nerve agent used on Mr Skripal had been produced on Russia – a claim Porton Down later denied.