City MP defies Starmer over support for rail strike workers

COVENTRY MP Zarah Sultana (right) is among a number of Labour MPS who have shown support for this week’s rail strikes - and by doing so defied Keir Starmer. The Labour leader ordered senior Labour MPS not to show support for the strikes, however not all have followed those orders.

Ms Sultana was pictured with nine other MPS on a picket line at London’s Victoria Stationon Tuesday on the first day of the strike, which resumed again Thursday and will also take place today. And the Coventry South MP also voiced her support for striking rail workers on Twitter.

She said: “Polling shows that 58% of the public back the rail and tube strikes. There’s a simple reason for that: by striking for fair wages. @Rmtunion members are fighting for all working people against greedy profiteers.”

Frontbenchers Kate Osborne, Paula Barker and Navendu Mishra are also among those to have tweeted pictures of themselves at picket lines. The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also offered “solidarity” to the strikers.

It is understood that Labour may take disciplinary action against frontbench MPS who defy the call not to appear on picket lines, but it’s not expected immediately. Millions of rail passengers in England, Scotland and Wales have been hit by the strike, which started on Tuesday and is due to continue on Thursday and Saturday.

The RMT union - whose members voted to strike - is asking for a pay rise of at least seven per cent to offset the rising cost of living, but it says employers have offered a maximum of three per cent, on condition they also accept job cuts and changes to working practices.

The Conservatives have accused Labour of failing to condemn the industrial action.