Labour serves either the unions... or voters

A MAJOR ingredient in the brew with which Tony Blair made New Labour electable was the way he kept his party’s paymasters at arm’s length.

A quarter of a century on, those militants have returned, flexing their muscles and trying to dominate British politics. This is a huge challenge to our democracy – and one that Sir Keir Starmer, who aspires to be prime minister, is flunking hopelessly.

Strikes have brought trains to a standstill. Nurses and ambulance crews walk out this month. Teachers, civil servants and fire crews are also expected to picket.

To secure unaffordable, inflation-busting salary rises, the hard-Left barons are happy for millions of commuters, patients, school children and businesses to suffer.

So we welcome the Government’s plan to introduce legislation to guarantee a minimum service during strikes in crucial sectors, including the railways, NHS and education. It will also let employers sue unions for damages and sack striking staff.

Of course, the devil is in the detail – and unions are already screaming blue murder. However, nothing ministers propose is unreasonable. Indeed, some say it is far too reasonable. And if the Lords – with an inbuilt Left-wing majority – block them, Rishi Sunak must force the laws through.

Predictably, Sir Keir vowed to oppose the curbs, despite not even seeing them. Yet his party won’t bite the hand that feeds it.

But people are getting utterly sick of disruption. When they go to the polls, they know Labour MPs will not serve those who send them to Parliament – but the unions that hold their purse strings.