Starmer has ‘one foot in the union’s camp’

Keir Starmer was accused of having ‘one foot in the RMT camp’ as the vast majority of Labour MPs yesterday abstained on a vote condemning next week’s rail strikes.

Thirteen Labour MPs, including former frontbenchers rebecca Long Bailey and rachael Maskell, even voted against the motion.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who repeatedly pointed out that Sir Keir was absent from the debate, said the Labour leader ‘has been playing a game of real-life Twister – his position hopelessly contorted, with one foot in the RMT camp and the other goodness knows where, stretching credibility’.

His motion had asked MPs to ‘recognise the vital role’ of railways in daily life, and recognise the impact of the planned strikes on school exams and the economy as a whole. But not a single MP from Labour voted for the motion. Sir Keir clashed with Boris Johnson over the issue in the Commons yesterday.

Speaking at PMQs, Mr Johnson told the Labour leader: ‘He has the chance now to clear it up: he can oppose Labour’s rail strikes right now, he can disagree, i give him that opportunity, let him disagree with the union barons who would add to people’s costs in the coming weeks.’

Sir Keir replied: ‘i don’t want the strikes to go ahead. He does so he can feed on the division.’