While it might feel like a distant memory, it’s been just six days since Starmer declared his front bench shouldn’t show up to picket lines. Last Tuesday he was unambiguous:
“The Labour party in opposition needs to be the Labour party in power and a government doesn’t go on picket lines.”
Of course, Sam Tarry heard this instruction loud and clear, and then showed up at a picket line anyway. He was sacked as Shadow Transport Secretary Minister by the end of the day, though Labour said this was for “making up policy on the hoof”. Nothing at all to do with appearing at a picket line, absolutely nothing…
Now Lisa Nandy, the Shadow Levelling Up Secretary and one of Labour’s most prominent front benchers, happens to have stumbled across a picket line this morning as well. Labour claims she was given clearance as she’s not actively picketing, just meeting with those striking – a line that doesn’t hold for her fellow shadow front benchers. Comrade Tarry is delighted…
Opposition Whip Navendu Mishra is also out actively “supporting” BT strikers:
Out supporting BT & Openreach @CWUnews members this morning on the picket line at Heaton Moor telephone exchange in Stockport.
— Navendu Mishra (@NavPMishra) August 1, 2022
It's a disgrace that some in the workforce have to rely on foodbanks to survive #FoodbankPhil pic.twitter.com/1NACev8CVQ
Shadow Employment Minister Imran Hussain is currently out standing behind a banner “in solidarity with Bradford’s @CWUnews members”:
Proud to stand in solidarity with Bradford's @CWUnews members & workers fighting for better pay & conditions in the middle of a soaring cost of living crisis.
— Imran Hussain MP (@Imran_HussainMP) August 1, 2022
Like many workers in the UK, their bosses take home record profits whilst they're given breadcrumbs. pic.twitter.com/XR7CxQaQHm
For a “government-in-waiting” that “doesn’t go on picket lines“, they seem to be spending quite a lot of time on picket lines. While Starmer gave nuanced permission for Nandy to ‘meet’ with picketers, the latter two shadow front benchers seem to directly be undermining his strategy. What was it about Unite once again threatening to bankrupt his party that saw him climb down from such a strict position?
