Train strike January 2018: Labour's Angela Rayner slammed over backing RMT walkout that saw passengers faint on packed trains

Commuters in London face some of the busiest routes
Jeremy Selwyn
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One of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies faced a fierce backlash today after backing the RMT rail strike which saw passengers pass out on an overcrowded London-bound train.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner voiced her “solidarity” for union members taking part in the walk-out, which caused misery for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

The crowding was so bad on one train that passengers had to pull the emergency handle twice after commuters fainted in the crush.

The South Western Railway (SWR) 7.12am service from Basingstoke to Waterloo was brought to a sudden halt, with the guard rushing to help a stricken passenger.

Angela Rayner, Shadow Education Secretary, has backed the strike 
PA

Later in the journey the emergency handle was pulled again following reports that another passenger had fainted in the heat and crush. This time the train continued on its journey into London. One passenger said: “It was ridiculously overcrowded. It was certainly among the worst overcrowding I have ever seen.”

January Rail Strike - In pictures

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The RMT is staging industrial action on five train companies over the role of guards on trains and driver-only-operation. Its members went on strike today and will also walk out on Wednesday and Friday on SWR, Greater Anglia, Arriva Rail North and Merseyrail. They are also taking industrial action on Southern today.

Disruption was also forecast on the non-strike days of tomorrow and Thursday due to train stock being out of place. It was the worst concentrated series of strikes since the signal workers’ dispute lasting for three months in 1994 regularly brought the national network to a halt. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the latest walk-outs were “always a sign of failure on all sides” but pointed the finger at the rail firms and ministers.

Early this morning, Labour’s Ms Rayner tweeted: “Today I am sending my #Solidarity to all @RMTunion members who are reluctantly having to take strike action in their continued Health&Safety campaign to #KeepTheGuardOnTheTrain”.

But former transport minister Stephen Hammond, Conservative MP for Wimbledon, dismissed the strike as “totally unnecessary, saying: “This strike has nothing to do with health and safety and everything to do with a union trying to cling onto its powerbase.” Croydon South Conservative MP Chris Philp added: “Angela Rayner is showing no understanding of the misery the RMT is needlessly inflicting on many Londoners.”

Ed Davey MP, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston & Surbiton, added: “It’s shocking that a Labour frontbencher should back yet more chaos on the railways.”

Many passengers were appalled by the crowding today. Megan Gray, 55, who had two trains cancelled from her commute from New Malden, south-west London, said: “It was awful. Everyone was pushing and shoving to get on.” Project manager Shaun Evans, 34, who got into Waterloo from Portsmouth Harbour, said: “It was a depressing journey. People were standing, it was cramped, smelly and horrible.”

The RMT defended the industrial action. General Secretary Mick Cash said: “We continue to fight to put public safety, security and access before the profits of the train operating companies.”

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