Whose side is the Labour Party on?

On a day that saw hundreds of thousands of public-sector workers on strike, it was astonishing that Labour’s leader saw fit to ignore the subject during Prime Minister’s Questions in the Commons. Sir Keir Starmer chose instead to use up his time asking about who knew what and when about the finances of the nowdeparted Conservative Party chairman.

Voters watching these proceedings must be constantly perplexed by the priorities of those inside the Westminster bubble and how they differ from the day-to-day worries of the great majority.

Labour had been demanding an investigation into Nadhim Zahawi, which the Prime Minister both established and then acted upon when his ethics adviser uncovered breaches of the Ministerial Code. He sought to establish the full facts, which is only fair, and followed a process that Labour had wanted. Sir Keir’s latest gambit is to question why this had not happened sooner. However, now that Mr Zahawi has been dismissed he is just flogging a politically dead horse.

Perhaps the main reason why the Labour leader avoided the strikes is because he is anxious not to be put on the spot over whether or not he supports them. The Opposition’s principal criticism of the Government is that it is not “engaging in talks” with the unions, yet Labour studiously avoids committing itself to any negotiating strategy.

Does Labour support the pay demands of the various unions, averaging around 10 per cent? If so, can Sir Keir explain which services will be cut to pay for them? Is he in favour of independent pay review boards or is Labour intending, should it win power, to negotiate directly with the unions?

With almost all of these strikes occurring in the public sector, where the Government is the employer, these are matters Sir Keir needs to address since he seeks to become prime minister within the next 18 months. In particular, does Labour back the teaching unions in shutting down schools once again after the disaster of the pandemic lockdowns? Does the party really think that strikes by nurses and ambulance drivers will help put the NHS back on an even keel?

Of course, it suits Sir Keir to say nothing specific and make vague criticisms about a failure of ministers to hold talks. Labour is financed by some of these unions and will be relying on them to top up the party’s electoral war chest. But if he wishes to hold the highest office, he needs to choose whose side he is on: the unions or the public?