KEIR SACKS ANGIE'S LOVER

Sam Tarry (far right) on the RMT picket line on Wednesday

Keir Starmer has sacked a member of his frontbench after he appeared on the RMT picket line on Wednesday morning.  Ilford South MP Sam Tarry was a shadow transport minister until this afternoon when the Labour leader swung into action.  To further complicate the strained relationship between Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner, Tarry just happens to be the lover of the latter.  Both are married, but their relationship has been common knowledge since January.

Tarry was unrepentant following news of his dismissal and he earlier told Channel 4 that he was perfectly OK with it because he 'was on the right side of history'.  His lover has been publicly silent about his firing, so we can only speculate as to what's now going on behind closed doors at their London nest.  What we do know is that Sam's comrades in the Socialist Campaign Group have swung behind him with their support...

Starmer knows he should be capitalising on the current chaos in government, but his picket line in the sand is inviting division in his own political backyard.  A difficult summer lies ahead for Sir Squeaky.