The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has called on Sir Keir Starmer to resign as Labor leader after the party suffered defeat to the Greens in the Gorton and Denton by-elections.
The Transport and Travel Union, which is affiliated with the Labor Party, said the result reflected growing discontent among voters and warned that Labour’s recent policy direction would cost it support.
Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA, said the party’s positioning under Keir Starmer had alienated core voters and given the Greens room to gain ground.
“It is clear that the catastrophic shift to the right under Keir Starmer is causing Labor to lose votes to the Greens,” she said. “There is an urgent need for a change in leadership and Keir must announce his resignation immediately.”
Eslamdoust argued that replacing the leader alone would not be enough to turn around the Labor Party’s fortunes. Instead, she said, the party needs a broader policy change and a return to what she called its “radical soul.”
She called for an expansion of public ownership in key industries, including water, energy and postal services, as well as a significant increase in the minimum wage. She also advocated the introduction of a wealth tax to finance public services.
“Only by adopting ‘Real Labour’ policies can we win back the support of voters who switched from our party to the Greens in Gorton and Denton,” she said.
The intervention underlines the growing tensions between sections of the trade union movement and the current leadership of the Labor Party, particularly over economic policy and the party’s position on public ownership and redistribution.
Labor has not yet publicly responded to the TSSA’s comments.
