Marr: Tories think they can skewer Starmer over unions - so Sunak turns to strike laws instead of pay deals

11 January 2023, 18:04 | Updated: 11 January 2023, 18:08

Andrew Marr says the politics of the proposed anti-strike legislation are 'unpredictable'

The Conservatives think they can "skewer" Sir Keir Starmer over the strikes, LBC's Andrew Marr says.

As industrial action shows no sign of abating and the Government keeps failing to strike a deal with angry workers, Andrew said the Tories are hoping to attack Labour over their union connections.

But Sir Keir thinks the public is on his side.

Speaking at the top of Tonight with Andrew Marr on Wednesday, Andrew said: "He's used private healthcare in the past but he loves the NHS. That's what Rishi Sunak told the Commons and, in that ambiguity, of course he's not alone.

"But it's a difficult issue for the government because the Health Service this winter, now entangled in strikes, seems so close to collapse; and for the vast majority of British people there is no other choice.

"Rather than doing a deal with the nurses and ambulance staff, the Prime Minister's bringing in legislation to restrict the right to strike of health workers, rail staff and other groups.

"His proposed new law, which might struggle to get through Parliament, would sanction individual workers, not simply the unions as organisations.

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"The politics of this are interesting, and I think a bit unpredictable: Tory strategists believe they can skewer Labour's Keir Starmer over his support for strikers but he clearly believes he's got the public with him.

"But behind the row in the Commons, of course, lies Britain's weak economic position and the threat of inflation.

"Sunak thinks that if he gives way to public sector wage demands, even from valued people who are becoming poorer all the time, that will simply fuel more inflation this year, which - in turn - will provoke higher pay demands.

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"On and on and on and backwards and backwards and backwards until, hey presto, it's 1975.

"Now, on this show we've heard quite a lot from the union side and goodness' knows they have a strong case.

"But as a certain tangerine-bearded Californian exile reminded us recently, there are two sides to every story.

"And what the government is trying to do isn't easy."