TSSA reacts to Sam Tarry being sacked from Labour front bench

Reacting to the news that Sam Tarry MP has been sacked from Labour’s front bench after attending rail worker picket lines today – including a TSSA picket line at Euston – rail union TSSA says it is "ashamed" of the Labour Party. 

TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes said: “Sam is one of us. He grew up in the trade union movement and trade unionism is in his blood. Today Sam did the right thing and stood shoulder to shoulder with rail workers striking for fairness and safety at work.

“Whatever excuses the Labour Party makes about the reasons for Sam being sacked, the reality is that Sam has shown solidarity with his class and we applaud him for that. The Labour Party needs to wake up and smell the coffee. If they think can win the next general election while pushing away seven million trade union members, they are deluded.

“We expect attacks from the Tories, we don’t expect attacks from our own Party. As a Labour-affiliated union, our union is ashamed of the actions of the Labour Party leadership and the anti-worker anti-union message it is sending out. This is a bad day for our movement. And if Keir Starmer doesn't understand the basic concept of solidarity on which our movement has been built then he is not worthy of leading our Party.”

Sam Tarry served as TSSA political officer until being elected to parliament in 2019.