John McDonnell has apologised for praising the IRA and claimed he did "everything I possibly could to secure the peace process in Northern Ireland".

The Shadow Chancellor caused controversy when he called for former IRA militants to be "honoured" during an event to remember the death of hunger striker Bobby Sands.

Speaking in 2003 he said: "It's about time we started honouring those people involved in the armed struggle. It was the bombs and bullets and sacrifice made by the likes of Bobby Sands that brought Britain to the negotiating table.

"The peace we have now is due to the action of the IRA. Because of the bravery of the IRA and people like Bobby Sands, we now have a peace process."