Ukip are an 'evil force' dividing British society, Labour's John McDonnell says

The eurosceptic party is expected to challenge Labour's dominance in Oldham

John McDonnell at the Labour party conference in Brighton earlier this year (Getty Images)

Ukip are an “evil force” in British society that pits people against each other, the shadow chancellor has told Labour-aligned activists.

John McDonnell made the comments at a rally organised by the campaign group Momentum ahead of a key by-election in Oldham where Ukip are expected to challenge Jeremy Corbyn’s party for a seat.

He warned that the right-wing eurosceptic party must not win the seat, which was left vacant at the death of late Labour MP Michael Meacher.

“We cannot allow what I think is an evil force within our society – that divides society often on the basis of race, often on the basis on some of the crudest policies that you can imagine any political party advocating,” he told the event according to a report in The Spectator magazine.

“We cannot allow them to get any form of toehold within our political system and that’s why it’s about defeating them but more importantly, defeating them – a clear contrast in terms of a sincere, local committed socialist candidate.”

The eurosceptic party is expected to do well in the seat on the basis that it came close to winning in the neighbouring Labour-held Heywood and Middleton constituency at a by-election in 2014.

A poster featuring UKIP party candidate John Bickley stands in a car park outside Royton Market near Oldham (Reuters)

At the last general election Ukip gained 20.6 per cent in the seat to Labour’s 54.8 per cent.

Labour’s candidate in the by-election is Jim McMahon, leader of the local Oldham borough council. Ukip’s candidate is John Bickley, who previously contested the Wythenshawe and Sale by-election, as well as the Heywood and Middleton by-election.

While Ukip gained 12 per cent of the national vote at the 2015 general election it was left with only one seat, retaining Clacton in Essex but losing Rochester and Strood in Kent.

It had previously won both seats at by-election during the previous parliament.