Labour MP took £4,000 donation from Britain's biggest train drivers' union... months before his department offered workers a pay rise
A Labour MP and ministerial aide accepted a £4,000 donation from Britain's biggest train drivers' union – just months before his department offered it an inflation-busting pay rise.
Liam Conlon, who is the son of Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff Sue Gray, received the donation from Aslef.
Last month he was appointed a parliamentary private secretary – or ministerial aide – to the Department for Transport.
On Friday the Aslef union announced a wave of fresh strikes – less than 48 hours after it was offered a pay deal that would boost the average driver's salary by 14 per cent to £69,000.
The newly elected MP for Beckenham and Penge declared the £4,000 donation in his MP register of interests, which was published last week.
Labour MP and ministerial aide Liam Conlon accepted a £4,000 donation from Britain's biggest train drivers' union – just months before his department offered it an inflation-busting pay rise
On Wednesday, the Aslef union (general secretary Mick Whelan pictured) was offered a pay deal that would boost the average driver's salary by 14 per cent to £69,000
However, on Friday the union announced a wave of fresh strikes from LNER drivers
It is understood the donation was made to Mr Conlon soon after he was selected as a Labour candidate for the constituency at the end of last year.
He has also received donations from Unison, the GMB and the Musicians' Union totalling £20,000.
Conservative MP Nick Timothy said: 'Labour are lying about the economy to justify putting up taxes and cutting pensioner benefits.
'Now they risk losing control of public sector pay by throwing money at the unions, who bankrolled their election campaign.
'It's as dodgy as hell – a bargain for the unions, and a disaster for the country.'
But a Labour source said: 'Unions represent working people, who are the backbone of Britain's economy.
'We'll never make apologies for standing up for workers after they were let down by the last Tory government.'
