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Politics
Harry Fletcher
Jun 22, 2022
'It's a stunt, they are doing it for effect', says Grant Shapps ...
BBC
The biggest train strike in more than 30 years is taking place across the UK, with half of Britain’s rail lines closed on Tuesday as members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Unite stage action over pay, jobs and conditions.
Further strikes are taking place on Thursday and Saturday, disrupting millions of journeys across the UK.
And who are the Tories trying to blame for it all? Labour, who haven’t been in power since 2010.
The Conservative government, which owns Network Rail, might have been in charge for 12 years, but it hasn’t stopped Tory MPs attempting to shift the blame for the strikes onto Labour.
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Mark Jenkinson, the Tory MP for Workington, replied to a tweet from a journalist, which read: “Teacher says students are bunking down on their mates’ floors so they can avoid the train strike and get to exams.”
He replied: “A vision of @UKLabour's Britain…”
\u201cA vision of @UKLabour's Britain...\u201d— Mark Jenkinson MP (@Mark Jenkinson MP) 1655793803
Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis also tweeted saying: “Labour’s strikes this week will make life harder for families across the country. Yet they refuse to put a stop to them.”
\u201cLabour\u2019s strikes this week will make life harder for families across the country. Yet they refuse put a stop to them \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffb\u201d— Brandon Lewis (@Brandon Lewis) 1655798670
There was also a tweet from Oliver Dowden, Chair of the Conservative Party, who reposted a picture of the Labour party whip Navendu Mishra on the picket line and wrote: “When we say these are Labour’s strikes, this is exactly what we mean.”
\u201cNothing to see here, just a Labour whip joining a picket line as millions of people have their lives disrupted.\n\nWhen we say these are Labour\u2019s strikes, this is exactly what we mean.\n\n#StopLaboursStrikes\u201d— Oliver Dowden (@Oliver Dowden) 1655800770
People were quick to react to the Tories blaming Labour, with many on hand to point out the fact that it's the conditions under the Tory government over the past 12 years that were a factor in the strikes.
Good Morning Britain host Adil Ray was one commentator who had a strong reaction, writing: “I cannot believe what I’m hearing. The Conservative Govt who have been in power for 12 years are blaming the current strike action on Labour who have not been in power for 12 years. It’s quite a take. TWELVE YEARS!”
\u201cI cannot believe what I\u2019m hearing. The Conservative Govt who have been in power for 12 years are blaming the current strike action on Labour who have not been in power for 12 years. It\u2019s quite a take. TWELVE YEARS!\u201d— Adil Ray OBE (@Adil Ray OBE) 1655801051
\u201cThey\u2019re not Labour strikes.\nThey\u2019re Tory strikes. Along with\u2026\nTory cost of living crisis. Tory inflation. Tory tax hikes. Tory inequality. Tory housing crisis. Tory NHS and social care crisis. Tory misgovernance and Tory misery.\n12 years you\u2019ve had.\nThe country is in despair.\u201d— sarah murphy (@sarah murphy) 1655463669
\u201cThe @Conservatives are pushing out the sort of propaganda you\u2019d expect in a dystopian dictatorship, calling the rail strikes \u2018Labour\u2019s strikes\u2019. The Tories are in government. The strikes are theirs.\u201d— Matthew Stadlen (@Matthew Stadlen) 1655465060
\u201cFixing strikes is Labour's job\nFixing Brexit is the EU's job\nFixing inflation is Putin's job\nFixing cost of living is workers' job\nFixing housing is immigrants' job\nAnd fixing immigration is Rwanda's job\n\nBut we have to keep Boris, cos he gets things done.\u201d— Russ Jones (@Russ Jones) 1655823376
\u201cI, for one, am tired of this Labour Government and its endless strikes.\u201d— Rob Burley (@Rob Burley) 1655797532
It comes as around 40,000 railway workers are striking for three days this week in what is the largest walkout seen in the UK for more than three decades.
RMT say they are striking over pay, conditions, job cuts and threats to pensions.
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