We’ve had enough of Tories’ divide and rule

TORY ministers and MPs from Boris Johnson down revoltingly salivate over rail strikes, showing this is a government trashing Britain to divide and rule.

The PM did it with Brexit, securing No10 at the cost of national self-harm.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss picks a fight with Brussels, threatens to break international law and jeopardise stability in Northern Ireland to boost her hopes of succeeding Johnson. Home Secretary Priti Patel’s empty plane to Rwanda is more about inciting hate than halting Channel crossings. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is so rich he’s immune to the hardships he imposes on low and middle-income families. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and Attorney General Suella Braverman fail to stand up for rules and the law. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps relishes this week’s train strikes, bashing trade unions and ludicrously screaming that it’s Labour’s fault. Tens of thousands of people, including yours truly, marched in London demanding change, decent folk coming together to demand a better future. Workers have endured the longest wage squeeze in modern history since 2008. On the rail network pay freezes and soaring inflation slashed the value of a cleaner’s £16,200 a year by £1,700 and a ticket seller’s £29,000 by £3,100. Lying lawbreaker Johnson’s incompetence, sleaze and intensifying cost of living crisis are why Thursday’s Red Wall Wakefield and Blue Wall Tiverton and Honiton by-elections are mini-referendums on him and the Conservatives.

Labour is near certain to retake Wakefield, while the Lib Dems are quietly confident of success in Devon.

Both fall and Johnson will be under renewed pressure from jittery Tory MPs worried about their own seats.

What’s happening with the rail strike shows this Conservative Government is coming off the tracks, seeking scapegoats to smear to distract from its own disasters.

Desperate Tories will fight dirtier.