Angela Rayner’s militant-union backing boyfriend SACKED by Labour after joining rail strike in defiance of Keir Starmer | The Sun
ANGELA Rayner's partner has been sacked as Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary after joining striking rail workers on the picket line today.
Sam Tarry stood alongside RMT members at London's Euston Station – despite orders from Sir Keir Starmer to stay out of the dispute.
It comes as 40,000 workers walked out this morning, shutting down four out of five train services. More strikes are planned in August.
Mr Tarry, the MP for Ilford South, joined Jeremy Corbyn and union baron Mick Lynch on the frontlines.
A Labour Party spokesperson said tonight that Sir Keir brought down the hammer because all MPs must stick to "agreed frontbench positions".
"The Labour Party will always stand up for working people fighting for better pay, terms and conditions at work," they said.
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"This isn't about appearing on a picket line. Members of the frontbench sign up to collective responsibility.
"That includes media appearances being approved and speaking to agreed frontbench positions.
"As a government-in-waiting, any breach of collective responsibility is taken extremely seriously and for these reasons Sam Tarry has been removed from the frontbench."
Mr Tarry is a vocal supporter of the RMT. He joined picket lines at least three times between 2014 and 2017 as a senior official with the TSSA rail union.
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In a statement following his sacking, he said: "These key workers kept our train services running throughout the pandemic, and were among Britain’s Covid heroes alongside the NHS and other public services."
He said "those same workers" have been "forced to take action" because of the cost-of-living crisis.
"This dispute would not be taking place under a Labour government, which would ensure that rail workers receive a fair wage," he added.
"It has been a privilege to serve on Labour’s frontbench for the past two years and to have had the opportunity to speak up for hard-pressed workers who deserve so much better than the treatment they’ve received from this corrupt and out-of-touch Government."
And he appeared to predict his own sacking in an previous interview.
Asked he is expected to be given the boot, he said: "I've no idea what Keir will decide to do but I know this – if Keir was in government right now, this dispute wouldn't be happening."
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Mr Tarry, a dad-of-two became close to Ms Rayner, 41, after running her campaign to become Labour's deputy leader.
The firebrand politician had separated from her husband Mark in 2020.
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