Twitter is reminding John Mcdonnell he said he'd swim through vomit to oppose George Osborne's welfare bill

The bill is designed to cut welfare spending by £12 billion

John McDonnell, a veteran left-winger and Mr Corbyn’s campaign agent, was announced as Shadow Chancellor (PA)

People are taking to social media to remind Labour’s new shadow Chancellor of his assertion that he would "swim through vomit" to oppose the Government’s proposed welfare bill.

MP John McDonnell, who has been selected as Labour’s Shadow Chancellor by Jeremy Corbyn, said he would oppose the bill, which is designed to cut welfare spending by £12 billion.

Debating the bill in July, the MP for Hayes and Harlington announced:

"I would swim through vomit to vote against this bill. And listening to some of the nauseating speeches in support of it, I might have to."

Mr McDonnell was among 48 Labour MPs who defied Harriet Harman's call to abstain on the bill by voting against it. Harman was acting Labour leader at the time.

However, the hard-left MP is considered a controversial figure. He has previously said he wanted to “assassinate” Margaret Thatcher and gave a speech “honouring” members of the IRA.