Transport Secretary Louise Haigh Went on Holiday Week Before ASLEF Strike Announcement
Labour MPs have been riding the gravy train, pocketing over £1.8 million in campaign cash from union bosses. Now it seems the unions are calling in their chips, demanding higher wages and shorter hours on the clock. The domino effect is already in motion, with ASLEF launching fresh strikes against LNER last week. Meanwhile, Guido hears that Transport Secretary Louise Haigh conveniently went on holiday just before the strike announcement derailed the headlines. You’d think she’d stay at home to deal with the fallout given LNER is now under state control…
It seems she’s changed track from her former stance on a Secretary of State’s hands-on approach to railway strikes. Haigh was more than happy to steamroll then-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps for his lack of involvement when dealing with the 2022 railway strikes. She told the Commons:
“Ministers [must] step up and show leadership. It requires them to get employers and unions round the table and address the very serious issues, involving pay and cuts in safety and maintenance staff, that are behind this dispute… the Secretary of State is washing his hands of any responsibility… Should the strikes go ahead tomorrow, they will represent a catastrophic failure of leadership.”
After a delayed response from her team, No 10 finally told Guido that Haigh has been “fully across all business at all times“, though didn’t deny that she had been on holiday. Labour isn’t working?
