Rightwing outrage at Labour’s pay deals is out of step with public mood

Tories and allies have tried criticising Labour's willingness to negotiate with unions before to no effect, and unions have strong support at a time when the cost of living is high

Labour caves in to unions. Fears of a wage-price spiral. Back to the 1970s and a new winter of discontent. The Conservative party and their friends in the media have been in full cry since the government made an offer to train drivers last week aimed at ending two years of disruption on the railways.

The rightwing press needed little prompting to claim that Britain is taking a step back into the industrial anarchy" of the past and was eager to contrast the deal for the Aslef union with Rachel Reeves's decision to means test the winter fuel allowance for pensioners. The level of outrage was further ratcheted up on Friday when Aslef announced plans for 22 days of strikes at weekends from late August to November on LNER trains.