‘You have to pick a side!’ Jon Kay skewers Lucy Powell on Labour’s stance on rail strikes

Jon Kay grills Haigh on Labour’s support for ‘working class people’

Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lucy Powell appeared on the red sofa on Wednesday to discuss how 50,000 rail workers are striking this week with hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay. Kay, who was leading the interview, pressed the minister to tell BBC Breakfast viewers if the Labour party supports the strike action.

The 52-year-old journalist asked: “I think a lot of people are wondering, where does Labour stand on these strikes?

“Are you behind the unions or are you behind the rail companies?”

Powell admitted her party “did not want to see these strikes happening at all” as “strikes are a sign of failure when negotiations have broken down”.

However, Kay continued to push for an answer and interjected: “But which side are you behind, it’s almost one of those situations where you have to pick a side?”

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BBC Breakfast: Jon Kay wanted answers from Labour’s Lucy Powell (Image: BBC)

BBC: Jon Kay and Sally Nugent presented the instalment (Image: BBC)

Powell clapped back by telling the broadcaster Labour was “obviously on the side of the travelling public”. 

She continued: “We support workers, we support workers in trying to negotiate better pay for themselves and they deserve a fairer pay settlement than what is being offered. 

“The Government want to try and make these strikes about the Labour Party but these strikes sit on the lap of the Government.

“The Government have the power to step in and stop these strikes from happening to ensure there is a fair settlement for workers and they are not doing that.”

Rail strikes: Mick Lynch is leading the rail strike action this week (Image: ITV)

BBC Breakfast: Lucy Powell appeared on Wednesday’s show (Image: BBC)

She told Kay and Nugent she refused to be drawn into the Government’s “election campaign to make it all about the Labour Party”. 

However, Kay defended his question which he believed was “legitimate” as the Labour Party wants to be in power. 

He asked whether Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer wrote to senior members of his party and told them not to appear at picket lines. 

Powell tried to swerve his question but later admitted she was advised not to appear at picket lines. 

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However, a total of 19 Labour MPs have been spotted taking part in the strike action and Kay asked whether they should be disciplined for their participation. 

Powell deflected the question and stressed how many people do not want to see the strike action take place this week. 

The train strike is the biggest one in three decades and it has already disrupted travel for millions of people around the nation. 

RMT boss Mick Lynch is leading the walkouts and has told various news channels he is confident “we will win”. 

Rail staff are taking action over redundancies, pay and changes to working practices.

London Underground workers have also gone on strike this week in a separate dispute over pensions.

Rail strikes are also planned for Thursday and Saturday.

BBC Breakfast continues on weekdays at 6am on BBC One.