Jeremy Corbyn backs unions in Southern Rail dispute

As rail and air strikes begin, the Labour leader calls for the train operator to be stripped of its franchise

Train pain: leaflets handed out by Southern Rail staff at Gatwick airport (Simon Calder)

“Yes I would, because I think Southern Rail have behaved in a terrible manner,” he said on Radio 4’s Today programme.

The Labour leader called for Southern, which runs services in south London, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and Hampshire, to be stripped of its franchise: “I would want that franchise brought back into the public ownership and public sector.

“Many people who are trying to commute in from Brighton are utterly fed up with Southern Rail and the way that it’s behaved.”

Mr Corbyn declined to condemn Monday’s strike which closed most of the London Underground. He said: “I hope there will be a new offer made by TfL.”

The Labour leader was speaking as one-third of a million commuters find themselves, once again, unwitting victims on the chosen battleground between the rail unions, the railway industry and the Government over modernisation.

The drivers’ union, Aslef, has called three days of strikes this week and more industrial action later in January. Along with the RMT union, which represents guards and some drivers, leaders say they are seeking to block plans for Driver Only Operation of train doors because of fears for the safety of the travelling public if drivers are solely responsible:

“They may not see someone falling between the train and the platform, nor someone caught in the doors,” Aslef said in a statement.

“In an emergency, passengers may be at risk if the driver is working alone on the train.”

The Rail Delivery Group rejected the unions’ assertions. In a statement it said: “Britain has Europe’s safest railway. We will never compromise on safety.

“Britain needs a modern railway to carry huge increase in passengers. Modern trains have automatic door closure, allowing drivers to open and close doors safely meaning smoother, more punctual arrivals and departures.”

Meanwhile British Airways cancelled 22 flights to and from Heathrow as a two-day strike by some members of BA cabin crew began. Most were short-haul flights, serving Aberdeen, Prague and Vienna and other destinations, but one of the four daily services to Boston and the only link to San Jose were also cancelled.

Cabin crew members of the Unite union who are working for BA's Mixed Fleet operation say they having to manage on "poverty pay".

The airline says salaries are competitive with the wider industry.