Jeremy Corbyn says he would join picket line with Southern Rail drivers, risking wrath of frustrated commuters
Hapless Labour leader throws his weight behind the hated train unions as commuters face a week of misery
JEREMY Corbyn risked infuriating frustrated commuters by declaring he would join a picket line with the striking Southern Rail drivers.
As commuters face a week of misery, hapless Mr Corbyn threw his weight behind the hated train unions “because I think Southern Rail have behaved in a terrible manner”.
And he accused the Government of being “more interested in protecting Southern Rail despite its appalling service.”
Despite the prospect of days of cancellations and delays, the clueless socialist insisted that many commuters affected by the strike would back his position.
Asked on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme if he would join the picket lines, Mr Corbyn said: “Yes I would”.
And he called for the service to be nationalised, saying: “I would want that franchise brought back into public ownership and the public sector.”
He went on: “After all, we provide the rails, we provide the trains and they make the profits from running them.”
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“I think many people who are trying to commute in from Brighton are utterly fed up with Southern Rail and the way that it has behaved,” he said.
“People in Brighton and elsewhere tell me how angry they are with Southern Rail and they want the public to intervene.
“It is up to Government to intervene now and take that franchise back into direct public ownership.”
But last night the Government insisted there is “no basis left” for the dispute on Southern Railway, which has caused months of disruption.
Calling on train unions to return to the negotiating table to resolve the dispute, Transport Minister Lord Ahmad said: “It’s gone on far too long.”