Labour MPs defy Starmer again by joining striking rail workers as Corbyn shows up sporting black eye

18 August 2022, 11:06 | Updated: 18 August 2022, 12:13

Labour MPs defied Keir Starmer’s warning to distance themselves from rail strikes as they joined picket lines in support of striking rail workers this morning.

Rebecca Long Bailey appeared this morning alongside members of the RMT and TSSA in Manchester.

Jeremy Corbyn, now an independent, was on a picket line alongside Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana.

Mr Corbyn was sporting a split lip and black eye after tripping over a tree root while out jogging.

Appearing at a picket line outside Euston Station, the former Labour leader said: "I was out running in Finsbury Park and unfortunately a tree root had protruded over the path.

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"Me and the tree root collided and I collided with the ground afterwards. There was nobody else involved - totally me on my own - but I love running anyway."

Asked if he would keep up with his running, the independent MP said: "Of course."

The former Labour leader criticised Sir Keir Starmer's sacking of a shadow transport minister for giving interviews from a picket line last month.

Mr Corbyn said Sam Tarry's treatment was "very unfair".

"Sam is a trade union person like me, he used to work for the TSSA, he went on a picket line to support his union and his members.

"I think to dismiss him from his shadow position was very unfair."

He told Mr Tarry after his sacking that he was "very sorry because he was doing a very good job, he was trying to develop a... much better national transport strategy".

Rail, Tube and bus passengers faced fresh travel misery from Thursday as tens of thousands of workers went on strike in long-running disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

Network Rail, train companies, London Underground and buses in the capital will be hit by walkouts in the next few days, causing travel chaos for workers, holidaymakers and fans going to events, including a cricket Test match at Lords.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite will be involved in the industrial action, after ongoing talks failed to break the deadlocked rows.

Strikes will affect services until the weekend.

On Thursday, RMT members at Network Rail (NR) and 14 train operators, TSSA members at seven companies, and Unite members at NR will strike.

This will have a knock-on effect on rail services on Friday morning.

Also on Friday, members of the RMT and Unite on London Underground will walk out, as well as Unite members on London United bus routes in the capital in a separate dispute over pay.

On Saturday, RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators, TSSA members at seven companies, and Unite members at NR will strike again, along with London United bus drivers.

Sunday morning train services will be affected by the knock-on effect of Saturday's action.

Rail services on Thursday and Saturday will be drastically reduced, with only around a fifth running, and half of lines closed.

Trains will only operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm on both strike days.