London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

Christmas travel misery now looms on railways, roads and in skies

Christmas travel misery now looms on railways, roads and in skies

Britain facing deepening winter of discontent as Border Force staff became latest workers to announce strikes

The Christmas travel plans of millions in London and across the UK have been thrown into fresh disarray as airport workers joined railway staff in announcing strikes over the festive season.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) dealt the UK’s latest festive travel hammerblow, announcing on Wednesday that Border Force staff working at some of the UK’s largest airports would walk out for eight days from December 23 to New Year’s Eve.

The union has already announced strikes at the Department for Work and Pensions, National Highways and among driving examiners. They are calling for a 10 per cent pay rise and better job security, claiming that 40,000 of its members were having to use food banks.

Britain was already facing a deepening “winter of discontent” with industrial action set to take place across the public sector. Nurses, ambulance workers, teachers and Post Office staff will also strike in the coming weeks.

The latest strikes announcement came as the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said that a resolution in a long-running dispute with train companies was “further away”, claiming that a last-minute intervention from the Government had stymied progress in negotiations. The union accused ministers of “blocking” the Rail Delivery Group’s attempt to make and improved and revised offer.

Members of the RMT are due to strike on 13, 14, 16 and 17, as well as January 3, 4, 6 and 7.

Meanwhile, the RAC said it is “almost inevitable” there will be more traffic on Christmas Eve as travellers unable to use trains instead take to the roads.

Spokesman Rod Dennis said: “People who normally depend on getting away by train on Christmas Eve will suffer the most thanks to the latest strikes announced. Unless they have easy access to another form of transport, their Christmas plans will be well and truly scuppered.

“It’s therefore almost inevitable we’ll see more traffic on Christmas Eve as people once again rely on cars to make their festive trips.”

Industrial action by Border Force workers will affect Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff airports, the PCS said.

Gatwick Airport said there will be additional staff around on strike days “to help with passenger welfare”, while Heathrow said it would put “mitigation plans” in place on affected days.

Manchester Airport warned that some flights would be cancelled.


Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday pledged “tough” new laws to limit the impact of strike action

The Business Travel Association said the “entire travel support system will once more be plunged into dealing with cancellations and disruptions”.

A spokesperson said: “Further strike action puts British workers’ Christmases at risk. Hard workers up and down the country will be stranded, struggling to get home.

“We urge the Government and unions to come together to ensure there aren’t unnecessary empty chairs at this year’s Christmas table.”

Minister for Immigration Robert Jenrick said of the Border Force strikes: “The union’s decision to strike over the festive period is unjustifiable and will ruin the plans of thousands of families and businesses across the country.

“While we are working closely with all UK ports and airports and have robust plans in place to minimise any delays if strike action goes ahead, passengers should be prepared for their plans to be severely disrupted.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged “tough” new laws to limit the impact of strike action, setting up a conflict with unions that looks likely to last into the New Year.

Mr Sunak told the BBC it was “simply not true” that ministers had not engaged with unions on pay, claiming it was his responsibility to “make sure that everyone can be kept safe” and minimise disruption over the festive period.

Downing Street indicated that the measures could include widening long-delayed legislation to ensure minimum levels of service during strike action on transport, to other public services.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman declined to provide a timeline or any details on the legislation, saying only they were to be brought in "as swiftly as possible".

He indicated the minimum service level legislation, first promised in 2019, could be extended from imposing minimum service levels on transport to other public services.

The new legislation Mr Sunak appeared to be referring to, the Minimum Service Levels Bill, is currently stalled in Parliament and MPs have not begun debating it. The PM has faced increasing pressure from his MPs to speed up the delivery of the legislation.

But Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, warned Mr Sunak the union was “ready industrially and financially" to challenge any new measures.

“No-one will be fooled by this attempt to divert attention away from the sheer incompetence of this Government,” she said.

“For Unite, this is very clear. We will not be intimidated by anti-trade union attacks. If they put more hurdles in our way, then we will jump over them.”

Frances O'Grady, the general secretary of the TUC federation of trade unions, accused Mr Sunak of “attempting cheap political pot shots”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×