Analysis: Critics fear Labour leader’s tactics are largely about drawing dividing lines within his own party
In a gritty promotional video for his 2020 Labour leadership bid, Keir Starmer called himself a “proud trade unionist” who had worked with unions “all my life”, including as a legal observer on the picket line in Wapping when Rupert Murdoch took on the print unions.
As RMT members prepared to walk out on the first of three days of industrial action this week, however, Starmer made clear not only that he would not be observing this particular industrial dispute at close quarters – but he expected his frontbench team to stay away, too.