Senior union official suspended for disparaging remarks about Boris Johnson

10 April 2020, 16:14

Steve Hedley is a senior RMT official. Picture: PA

By Maddie Goodfellow

A senior official in the biggest rail workers union has been suspended after making disparaging comments over the Prime Minister being ill with coronavirus.

Steve Hedley, assistant general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, is believed to have made comments on social media about having a party, in reference to Boris Johnson's condition.

He is a longstanding RMT official and is effectively the union's number two.

Mr Hedley wrote on Facebook: "I don't want to offend you, but if Bojo pops his clogs, I'm throwing a party."I hope the whole cabinet and higher echelons of the Tory party have been touching various bits of him."

A spokesman for the union told the PA news agency: "Following a meeting of the union's National Executive a decision has been made to suspend senior assistant general secretary Steve Hedley with immediate effect while a formal investigation takes place into his conduct."

In a joint statement RMT president Michelle Rodgers and general decretary Mick Cash said: "Steve Hedley's comments do not represent the views of this trade union and are wholly unacceptable."

Boris Johnson has now left the ICU. Picture: PA

The decision came after Mr Hedley reportedly made comments when Boris Johnson went to hospital with Covid-19 on Sunday.

RMT president Michelle Rodgers and general secretary Mick Cash said in a joint statement: "Steve Hedley's comments do not represent the views of this trade union and are wholly unacceptable."

Mr Johnson has left intensive care after two nights there, and Downing Street have said he is in "good spirits" and was "waving to NHS staff" as he left.