TWO generations who know only from history books about the industrial carnage of the bleak, union-ravaged 1970s will now experience their first real taste of it.
This week’s rail strikes are what happens when Marxist thugs high on “class war” fantasies try to weaponise the public’s economic woes to bring down an elected Government they despise.
The chaos will still be only a fraction of what the Left inflicted 50 years ago.
A greater challenge will come if public sector workers follow suit with absurd demands and threats, as militant RMT chief Mick Lynch would dearly love.
There was no chance any offer would satisfy him yesterday. He was always going to maintain his unreasonable pay claims and the sanctity of his members’ archaic practices and cushy privileges.
But who would fund this new bung?
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Passengers, already paying some of Europe’s highest fares? Or taxpayers, already saddled with the heaviest burden in 70 years? Those are the choices.
The reality rail workers and others must accept is that the Tories borrowed gigantic sums to keep millions afloat during Covid. The coffers are empty.
The bounceback then triggered rampant inflation. Give everyone a matching pay rise and it could take years to control.
All of us are suffering, well-heeled rail workers less than most. Their jobs were kept alive by £16billion of taxpayers’ money as passenger numbers collapsed. Where is their gratitude?
Labour would be wise to distance itself from the extremists. But, as ever, it does its union paymasters’ bidding.
Keir Starmer feebly regrets the strikes. He pretends they’re a Tory ruse to sow division. It is pathetic, desperate drivel.
Labour backs the unions. Boris Johnson backs the public. He must not buckle.
TRANS women who grew up male should be barred from competing in women’s sports.
We commend Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries for saying so — and swimming chiefs Fina for making a ruling others should follow. Anything else is clearly unfair on women athletes.
An “open” category for any gender identity always seemed a way forward.
We know Starmer still struggles to define a woman.
But can he find the courage to face down his woke activists and support this sensible compromise?
FRANCE has handed its smug, complacent president a long-deserved comeuppance.
We don’t envy them the instability now Macron’s majority is gone.
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But it’s yet another blow to Remainers here who idolised the Brexit-hater-in-chief even after his lethal lies about our Covid jabs and his humiliating calls to Putin.
Macron’s self-regard was always a liability. Now it’s crippled his second term.
