When one opens the website of the Guardian, one will not find an article on the biggest strike in more than three decades, but has to go to the U.K. page and search halfway down. That is despite the fact that the subway in London was closed down, and this morning many Underground workers did not return to their jobs on time, causing chaos. The Guardian continued to put “Putin’s war” on the front page to dominate the news. The website of the mass tabloid Express included an article that could not easily be found. The Daily Mail had a lead article, headlined, “You Won’t Beat Us,” against the unions. That article reported on the commuter chaos because Underground workers did not show up on time for work as expected the day after a one-day strike.
The Labour Party should change its name to the Anti-Labour Party. A memo apparently from the office of Labour Party leader Keir Starmer leaked to PoliticsHome on June 20, said Labour must “show leadership,” which meant “frontbenchers including [parliamentary private secretaries] PPSs should not be on picket lines.” That was soon violated by three frontbenchers. They are expected to be disciplined next week. Also members of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group, were on picket lines, including the former shadow cabinet members John McDonnell and Ian Lavery.
A spokesperson for Momentum, the pro-Corbyn the left-wing group, issued a statement saying: “The Labour party was founded to represent the interests of workers. But under Keir Starmer’s leadership, the party has lost its way. Instead, it is Socialist Campaign Group MPs out there on the picket lines with rail workers who refuse to accept cuts to their pay and conditions, in a time of spiraling inflation. That’s the basic solidarity that the Labour name demands.”
While the strike continues, talks between the RMT and the government have resumed with an offer of 4% by the government.
