COMMENTS DAILY MAIL: Sir Keir’s cowardice over hateful strikes

Desperate to be heard over the noise of the Tory leadership contest, Sir Keir Starmer has sought to portray the government as torn by discord and petty infighting.

In fact, his denunciations in recent weeks have been so pious that you would have assumed that Labor is one big, happy family.

But while the party continued to tangle itself over yesterday’s misery-inducing railway strikes, we know that the reality is in fact the opposite.

Twice this week Sir Keir has ordered his MPs not to join striking railway workers. But with resistance bordering on warmongering, many decided to ignore his demands and still join picket lines.

Among them was Sam Tarry, a transport spokesman who was part of Sir Keir’s front bench team. Mr Tarry is now fired, but he certainly fired his leader’s authority like a shot.

Sir Keir is not helping himself by not condemning the strikes that wreak havoc on the traveling public, thousands of whom are simply trying to earn a day’s wages. So much for the party of the working people!

Meanwhile, his refusal to challenge the reprehensible behavior of the intervening unions, which fill his party’s coffers with millions every year, is the most extraordinary moral cowardice.

But what did we expect?

In virtually every challenge the country faces, be it the economy, the pandemic, immigration or even Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine, Sir Keir has proven himself completely spineless, incessantly talking government policy from the sidelines and at the time offering no plan or alternative solution.

Sir Keir likes to posit the value of political leadership.

But what hope does he have of tackling the monumental problems of the day – let alone Vladimir Putin – if he doesn’t have the guts to keep his own party in order?

ditch greed

One of the more depressing aspects of the financial downturn has been the rise of ‘greed’: successful companies that use the tight cost of living as an excuse to raise prices.

So it was disappointing this week when two major UK corporate institutions, Unilever and Reckitt, announced significant price increases to offset rising inflation.

The Mail wouldn’t think of telling these two consumer giants how to run their businesses. We understand the responsibility companies have to their shareholders to maintain a healthy balance sheet.

But if millions are struggling with their weekly groceries, would it be good practice for them to swallow some of the costs themselves instead of simply passing them on to customers?

Both companies make huge profits. It’s not like they can’t afford it.

Victory for freedom of expression

In any sane world, Allison Bailey’s troubling case should never have gone to court.

As it was, Miss Bailey was forced to take her rooms in Garden Court before a tribunal after it discriminated against her for rejecting the idea that one’s biological sex can change.

Time and again, trans activists like Stonewall use aggressive tactics against those who disagree. And far too many big companies are too scared – or too weak – to face them.

The decision yesterday to award damages to Miss Bailey is therefore a hugely welcome victory for freedom of expression. We salute her resilience. And her courage.