Andy Burnham clashes with Keir Starmer over Labour picket line policy

Andy Burnham has criticised Labour leader Keir Starmer’s policy of discouraging party frontbenchers from joining striking workers at picket lines.

The Labour mayor of Greater Manchester said he would join Mick Lynch – leader of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) – on a picket line.

Mr Burnham also said he would consider “one day” running for prime minister as Labour leader, but said Sir Keir retained his “full support” at the moment.

Asked if he would join the RMT boss in support for striking rail staff, the senior Labour figure told Sky News: “I would, you know – I don’t see this as controversial.”

He added: “People are fighting for their incomes in a cost-of-living crisis. Of course you’ve got to recognise the point that they are making.”

Mr Burnham urged all those in Westminster to treat key workers as they did during the pandemic, attacking Tory MP Jonathan Gullis for “demonising greedy rail workers”.

On attacks on striking rail staff, he said: “I’m sorry, but that is just not good enough … It’s the people that he was clapping, that everyone was clapping, a few years ago. Now we need to recognise that people are going to need fair pay rises if they’re going to keep Britain running.”

Mr Burnham – who will join Lynch, union leaders and other left-wingers at Enough is Enough rally in Manchester on Friday evening – said he would consider “one day” running for PM as Labour leader.

“Perhaps one day, if that would be something people would support, but not now because we’ve got a leader of the Labour Party who is providing leadership during the cost-of-living crisis and I’m happy to give my full support to Keir,” he said.

The mayor added: “And I’ve got a job to do in Greater Manchester ... I’m just being honest, in the future, I’ve said I’ll serve a full second term as (mayor). If at some point beyond, way beyond this point where we are, that that was something that was a possibility, I would consider it.”

Mr Burnham has said he does not support a movement calling on consumers not to pay for their soaring energy bills during the cost of living crisis, as Britons face a 80 per cent hike the energy cap from 1 October.

He said he understood why people were joining Don’t Pay UK but that “we have to live within the rule of law - we’ve got to keep a country where people respect the rules and the way of doing things”.

The Labour said there was “a case for more public control of essential utilities”, contradicting Starmer, who has ruled out renationalising the energy companies.

It comes as left-wing Labour MP Sam Tarry – sacked as shadow transport minister in July – has hired top law firm Carter Ruck in his fight with the party over his reselection in Ilford South.

In a letter to Labour’s general secretary, Tarry’s lawyers demand a halt to process which saw him “triggered” in July so he faces a members’ vote on whether he will remain the local candidate at the next election.

The warning letter alleged of “rule-breaking”, “voter fraud” and “the dangerous whipping up of community tensions” in the recent process.

Meanwhile, leaders at Unite and TUC, the country’s two biggest unions, have backed co-ordinated industrial action over pay. “It always makes sense for working people to work together,” said the TUC’s Frances O’Grady.

Next month’s TUC meeting looks set to see a series of motions calling for unions to work together to increase wages – but the move would stop short of a “general strike”.