McDonnell was speaking as Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) chose to postpone a decision on whether to grant MPs the right to elect the shadow cabinet.
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Deputy leader Tom Watson had put forward a plan for MPs to vote on membership of the shadow cabinet, a responsibility which now rests with leader Jeremy Corbyn.
His comments are, however, unlikely to convince critics such as former leader Lord Kinnock, who has said he fears that he will never live to see another Labour government if Mr Corbyn remains leader.
Amid reports he could be “purged” from the role, he said it was the leader’s right to replace him.
Jeremy Corbyn appeared to be tightening his grip on the Labour Party by suggesting the reintroduction of shadow cabinet elections with a members’ vote and after his allies appeared to back deselection of disloyal MPs.
Angela Eagle triggered the contest before the Pontypridd MP elbowed her out of the way to clear the path for a head-to-head with Mr Corbyn.
But other senior figures in the party insisted the meeting, which began at noon, was positive. “We are all out on that basis”, he said. We had a very positive meeting.
The party’s national executive committee (NEC) will hear arguments on Tuesday from different factions over how the new shadow cabinet should be chosen.
Jon Trickett, NEC member and shadow business secretary, also called it “a very positive meeting”.
However, he also warned such a plan would cost £330,000 per vote, adding: “Can we afford it?”.
It’s a hard right agenda, which could do untold damage to our country; and unless we have a radical, credible opposition to the Tories then we won’t be able to stop them – now or at the next election.
“It was a positive and productive conversation”.
“It’s an attempt to further cement his position and to use the membership as a means of driving a wedge between the MPs and his leadership”, Smith said.
“Whatever the outcome of the leadership contest, we have an opportunity this weekend to come together and build on the broad range of policies, which have been advocated by both candidates”.
Lansman also sought to manage expectations, adding: “We don’t know what Saturday’s result will be but let me reassure you we have booked a party”.
Asked if Mr Corbyn could ever be Prime Minister, he said: “I think Jeremy could easily be a Labour Prime Minister”.
Mr Corbyn told Peston: “Nobody is seizing control of anything”.
Labour has grown to become the largest political party in Europe under Mr Corbyn’s leadership, with more than 500,000 members.
“If we had an election right now, the polls are telling us that we would be decimated in that election, so the risks are enormous and the need therefore to unite the party is very great but it will be very hard”.
Two weeks ago the Parliamentary Labour Party voted overwhelmingly to bring back elections to the shadow cabinet, scrapped by Ed Miliband in 2011.
Others included a new social media code of conduct for Labour members and a guarantee that the party leader must be on the ballot paper if he faces a leadership challenge.
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He is urging the NEC to agree to meet again following the Liverpool gathering to launch a consultation on a wider review of party democracy, which could include giving more decision-making power to ordinary members.
