The Labour MP could lose his job as transport minister
Keir Starmer is facing a test on his leadership this morning, after one of his frontbenchers defied party orders and joined a picket line in support of striking rail workers.
Labour’s Shadow Transport minister Sam Tarry stood alongside striking workers at London Euston station in Central London, as 40,000 members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport unions walked out.
Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain Tarry said” “If we don’t make a stand today, people’s lives could be lost.
“Some of the lowest-paid workers are on strike today in the rail industry, safety critical workers, workers who make sure our railways get people to work and do so safely.
“It can’t be accepted anymore, that people just have to accept that inflation is out of control. The Government’s doing nothing on the cost-of-living crisis.”
On Tuesday, Labour leader Sir Keir said the party would not be supporting workers on picket lines.
“The Labour Party in opposition needs to be the Labour Party in power,” he said. “And a government doesn’t go on picket lines, a government tries to resolve disputes.”
Asked on Wednesday morning if Tarry would face disciplinary action for joining the strikes, chair of the Labour Party Anneliese Dodds said it was “up to the whips” to decide shadow transport minister should lose his job for insubordination
"I'm sure the Whips will look at this as a disciplinary matter"
Shadow Chair of the Labour Party @AnnelieseDodds on Shadow Transport Minister Sam Tarry joining the picket line after leader Keir Starmer ordered his team to stay away#RailStrikes #KayBurley MT pic.twitter.com/daH5D3XZs1
— Kay Burley (@KayBurley) July 27, 2022
Conservative transport secretary Grant Shapps urged Sir Keir to sack Tarry will immediate effect, telling Sky News: “It’s clearly in defiance of Sir Keir Starmer, who told his front bench they shouldn’t be.
“Nobody should be on the picket lines, stopping hardworking people who spent £160,000 per railworker preventing any of them from losing their jobs during the pandemic. We come out of the pandemic and this is the way people are being thanked.
“If Labour frontbenchers want to go and join the on the picket line, people will come to their own conclusions and I’ve no doubt Sir Keir Starmer will want to sack him.”
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