Kate Osborne has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer after he warned Labour frontbenchers to stay away from picket lines this week.
The MP for Jarrow tweeted that the party was “formed by the trade union movement to give working people a political voice”, saying that she would be joining striking rail workers tomorrow.
Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, also said she would be out protesting to show her “solidarity with workers fighting for jobs and fair pay.”
It comes after Politics Home revealed that shadow cabinet members were told today to “expect severe disruption this week as the result of industrial action by the RMT”.
“We have robust lines. We do not want to see these strikes to go ahead with the resulting disruption to the public. The government have failed to engage in any negotiations,” the memo from the leader’s office read.
But it added: “However, we also must show leadership and to that end, please be reminded that frontbenchers including [parliamentary private secretaries] should not be on picket lines.
“Please speak to all the members of your team to remind them of this and confirm with me that you have done so.”
The general secretary of the RMT union has told Starmer that he needs to find a way to ride “the wave of industrial action” set to hit the UK.
In a press conference, Mick Lynch said the Labour leadership needed to find a way to connect with working-class people.
He also warned that the UK could see a “wave of industrial action”.
Asked by the PA news agency if he felt supported by the Labour leadership, he said: “Well, the Labour leadership have got a problem, haven’t they?
“They’re against workers being exploited, and they’re against this Tory Government.
“They’ve got to find a way to connect to working-class people in working-class communities so they can get their votes back.
“They’ve got to find their message. They’ve got to find some policies that get back to where working people are.”
Related:
