Game set and match to the far-left Unions mob - Labour has only just begun - Kelvin MacKenzie

Louise Haigh is the Minister for Transport

GB News
Kelvin Mackenzie

By Kelvin Mackenzie


Published: 15/08/2024

- 20:43

Updated: 16/08/2024

- 13:35

Kelvin MacKenzie was the former editor of the Sun

It’s no wonder that Aslef’s Lefty general secretary Mick Wheelan walked away with wheelbarrows of cash for his £64,000-a-year drivers when you look at the background of the idiot who was negotiating for us, the hard-up passengers and taxpayers.

That was a lady you have probably never heard of called Louise Haigh. At 37 she is the youngest member of the Cabinet as Secretary of State for Transport, but much more importantly were her own trade union credentials.


Before entering Parliament, she was a shop steward for Unite, which each year gives a good dollop of their members’ money to their mates in the Labour Party. Oh, and both Ms Haigh’s grandfather and uncle were trade union officials. So, we know whose side she was on when she heard the arguments.

She couldn’t wait to hand over 5.5% for 22-23, 4.75% for 23-24 and a disgraceful 4.5% for 24-25, twice the rate of inflation for a job which involves keeping the train on a straight line, ably assisted by metal tracks. And stopping at things called stations.

They have won their extraordinary pay rates thanks to being militant for decades.

They were on a four-day, 35-hour week plus receiving final salary pensions which simply don’t exist in the commercial world as they are too expensive. The manner and the speed which Haigh agreed to the deal was a disgrace. The drivers didn’t even have to give up their ancient working practices.

Game set and match to Mr Whelan and his far-Left mob. Personally, I wanted the dispute to continue as it was clear the drivers were losing. In the old days Aslef could bring the nation to its knees.

That moment passed with working from home. Over the past two years the drivers struck for 18 days. Yes, it could be irritating but nowhere near as irritating as handing over the money to these overpaid jerks.

We are going to see a lot of this from this government over the years ahead. After all it was only half an hour ago they lobbed out 22% to the doctors, taking their starting salary to £36,000, plus London weighting which stretches 27 miles out in every direction and is worth another £5,000. Ok for starters.

In every direction Starmer is going to cave in. There is some reasonable economic news about at the moment with interest rates coming down, inflation being held and pay going up. Makes you wonder why on earth Rishi thought this was a good time to go to the country. Why didn’t he hold fire until January?

Sure, he would not have won, but might have saved many of his colleagues from getting the boot meaning more of them to hold Labour to account. That will not happen now. Whatever this very Left party decides will be what happens. A frightening thought.

It means people like Haigh will be giving handouts to her union chums for the next five years. Surely with her trade union and family background she should be barred from taking part in such negotiations.

After all we have the RMT coming up soon. She will know these people both socially and professionally and will have a natural leaning towards their demands. The transport unions will know they only have to threaten a dispute and the money will pop up in their bank account.

I must say I am puzzled by one aspect of Haigh’s Wikipedia. Although happy to disclose that her grandfather and uncle were trade union officials there is no mention of her parents.

That’s a surprise because whatever they did in their lives, they had enough money to pay for her private education at Sheffield High School which currently costs £15,000+ a year. From January that number will go to £18,000+ thanks to Haigh’s class war Cabinet adding VAT to the fees.

I imagine that she was much in favour of the fees going up. In all her actions Haigh proves unequivocally that she not on our side but she is on the union side. A total disgrace.

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