Starmer’s Labour may be a broad church, though Guido suspects one of its candidates will send shivers down some of his comrades’ spines. Labour’s candidate for Welwyn Hatfield, the seat currently held by Grant Shapps, works as director of communications for the Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest social landlord and bête noire to Labour and the unions alike. Andrew Lewin’s firm, which is condemned as one of the worst social landlords in Britain, has got 260 official fines or penalties since 2010. It was condemned by Labour members of the London assembly for leaving 1,500 estate residents in squalor and dishing out bonuses to the Chief Executive. Unite called it the “Sports Direct of housing associations” after it tried to cut sick pay. That might make for some awkward meetings if Lewin is elected…

The Housing Ombudsman says that 53.6% of complaints against it resulted in findings of maladministration – that puts it squarely in the worst 5% of all social landlords in the country. Clarion was one of only four of 1,738 social landlords subject to “special investigation” by the Housing Ombudsman in 2022/3 – it’s also been in Unite’s crosshairs for years after trying to derecognise unions company-wide. Which side will Lewin take when Clarion fights with the unions over fire and rehire, or when it is condemned by former unison leader Lord Prentis in Parliament? Is Labour so broad a church that a director of one of the worst social landlords in the country is accepted without a squeak?

Executive member of the Union of Shop, Distribution and Allies Workers John Barstow has written to the Financial Times calling to “restrict Sunday online trading”, bringing online sector deliveries under the Sunday trading laws. No more Amazon or Ocado orders outside the hours of 10am and 4pm…

Barstow is inevitably also a Labour ally – just yesterday Starmer delivered a speech to his union. No doubt Barstow will be pushing these changes to bring Britain back to the Victorian era if/when Starmer gets the keys to Downing Street. You’re known by the company you keep…

Mick Lynch’s address to reporters outside the Department for Transport was interrupted by a particularly intrusive street preacher. For once, it was Mick, and not British rail passengers, having his plans disrupted by the righteous certainties of true believers…

After service was resumed, Mick Lynch took the opportunity to have a dig at GB News. He responded to a question from the broadcaster by asking “Is there anyone from a normal outlet?“. The clip was shared gleefully by PoliticsJOE.

Guido’s fairly sure GB News has a better record getting top political interviews than PoliticsJOE…

In recent days the UNISON union’s welfare fund has received a boost from a surprising source- the TaxPayers’ Alliance. The union-sceptic think tank made the donation after an error in reporting on their Trade Union Rich List. Guido doubts the “who funds you” brigade will hound the unions as much as they do the TPA…

They initially stated, incorrectly, that UNISON’s General Secretary Christina McAnea took home £225,891. In fact received a meagre £119,513 plus £12,756 in benefits, though some of her predecessor’s golden handshake was accidentally wrapped up in the TPA’s press-released figures. Tufton Street now funding unions: the Truss era’s truly over…

Just as the country braces for yet another round of rail and mail strikes, the TaxPayers’ Alliance has released their annual Trade Union Rich List, revealing the annual incomes of the top 30 public sector union bosses last year. The average pay packet? £152,272. Solidarity, comrades. 

Topping the list is Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, who trousered a whopping £222,094. An increase of £5,707 on 2020…

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea received a very comfortable £119,500 plus £12,700 of additional benefits. This is, of course, the same Christina McAnea who’s threatening the biggest NHS strikes since the 1980s.

And as students brace for more education strikes, the Rich List also reveals nine senior staff at education unions took home £1,404,252 between them. Meanwhile the general secretary of the Communication Workers Union – the masterminds of the crippling mail strikes – took home £142,485. As always, nice work if you can get it…

On Monday transport unions voted to go full steam ahead with the ‘biggest rail strike in 25 years’. It is in this context the Taxpayers’ Alliance has revealed the annual renumeration of just two transport union barons to be £281,601. This is split between Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan’s £151,371 and his assistant’s £130,230. These had been driven up by 10% on the previous year. By comparison, MPs salaries increased by just 2.7%. The Taxpayers’ Alliance adds:

“Taxpayers are fed up with lectures and disruption from loaded union leaders. These red barons are dooming commuters to misery, but are sitting comfortably as some of Britain’s biggest earners in taxpayer-backed unions. Ministers must take a stand against these hypocritical union heads.”

Commuters earning a fraction of their income will no doubt have time to reflect on this when their trains are cancelled…