Now shadow minister joins picket line in fresh strike chaos for Keir
Sir Keir Starmer’s order for his frontbenchers to stay off union picket lines was undermined again yesterday after more senior Labour figures joined striking workers.
Lisa Nandy became the most high-profile shadow minister to defy the leadership as she turned out at a Communication Workers Union picket in Wigan.
Whip Navendu Mishra and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also did the same without facing any repercussions from the party.
Their presence came a day after the Labour leader issued fresh calls for frontbenchers to avoid chasing ‘sentiment and a photo op’ on picket lines and act like a government in waiting.
Last week Sir Keir threatened to ignite a civil war within his own party after sacking Sam
Tarry as transport spokesman for giving interviews on a rail union picket line.
But Miss Nandy, who has the levelling up brief, appeared to undermine her leader’s instructions by showing her support at a BT picket line.
An ally of Miss Nandy insisted Sir Keir’s office was ‘aware in advance’ of her presence, adding: ‘She went down to show her support for constituents campaigning for better pay and conditions at a really tough time, as you’d expect.
‘As Keir said... yesterday, we support their right to do that, and what they need now is a Labour government so they don’t feel like they’re on their own when times are tough.’
Thousands of BT and Openreach workers, represented by the CWU, walked out yesterday over a £1,500 pay offer that the union says is a real-terms cut because of soaring inflation.
Yesterday the union thanked Miss Nandy – a former Labour leadership candidate – for her support, saying: ‘it means a lot to our members.’
A CWU spokesman added: ‘Our members were happy to have Lisa and Nav on the picket lines this morning. Any Labour MP who thinks it’s controversial to support workers fighting brutal wage cuts is living on another planet to everyone else.’
A source close to Mr Sarwar, who is not part of Labour’s frontbench team in Westminster, confirmed that he did not need clearance from the leadership to show his support.
At the weekend Sir Keir renewed his call to turn Labour ‘from a party of protest into a party that can win power’. He pointed out that he had represented striking workers for free when he was a lawyer.
The sacking of Mr Tarry – the partner of Labour deputy leader Angela rayner – has continued to strain the relationship between Sir Keir and the unions. Mr Tarry said yesterday: ‘Great to see Lisa Nandy on the picket line. On Saturday Sharon Graham, head of the Unite union, said the Labour leadership was ‘sticking two fingers up’ at workers.
The royal College of Midwives yesterday officially asked members whether they wanted to strike over pay. it insists that the Government’s offer of £1,400, which for many will work out at 4 per cent, ‘is unacceptable and won’t cut it’.
it estimates that over two thirds of the increase would go on rising energy bills, and the rest on tax, leaving its members worse off in real terms.
‘Went to show her support’