Labour MPs today hit back at claims union boss Bob Crow will be "handed the keys" to London's transport network if Ken Livingstone is elected Mayor.
In a letter in the Standard today, 11 of them said there had been more strikes during Boris Johnson's four-year term than during the eight years Mr Livingstone spent in the post.
Tottenham MP David Lammy and frontbencher Emily Thornberry are among those who warned: "Vote Boris Johnson - get more strikes."
Their letter comes after a group of Tory MPs yesterday accused Mr Livingstone of being "on the side of union bosses" and said his vow to let running mate Val Shawcross chair Transport for London is a bid to appoint Mr Crow to TfL's board "through a proxy". Ms Shawcross said the claims are a "Tory dirty tricks campaign" and added: "I have never supported RMT strike action." The Tory attack on Mr Livingstone came a day after thousands of Tube workers rejected a £500 bonus to work during the Olympics. Union bosses said the bonus was not an "adequate reward" for 14,000 staff.
Today's letter from Labour MPs also attacked Mr Johnson for failing to negotiate a "no strike" deal with unions.
"Boris Johnson has never sought to negotiate that deal with the unions," the MPs wrote. "In fact, he refuses to meet the Tube unions at all."
A spokesman for Mr Johnson's campaign said: "For supporters of Ken Livingstone, whose campaign is backed by Bob Crow and funded and controlled by London transport unions, to complain of strikes is hypocritical."
