Senior Labour MP Tom Watson today called for Shadow Education Secretary Tristram Hunt to quit as a lecturer after he crossed a picket line to deliver a talk on Marxism at a London university.
Labour's former election campaign coordinator launched a scathing attack on Mr Hunt after it emerged he had hurried past lecturers at Queen Mary University (QMU) yesterday as they went on strike over a pay dispute.
Mr Hunt has taught British history at QMU since 2001, and was on his way to give a lecture on "Marx, Engels and the Making of Marxism" when he crossed the picket, the Morning Star reported.
In a strongly-worded attack on his blog today, Mr Watson wrote: "I'd rather the shadow Secretary of State for Education, resign his post as a lecturer than cross a picket line of striking lecturers, in order to deliver a history module on Marx, Engels and the Making of Marxism."
Mr Watson, who quit the shadow cabinet over his role in the Falkirk selection row last year, then compared the incident to one which may be documented in an episode of satirical comedy The Thick of It.
He wrote: "The preposterous irony of Tristram's action will amuse many, but Labour is too near a general election to write a new episode of Thick of It."
Witnesses of yesterday's incident described how Mr Hunt had looked "shame-faced" as he crossed the picket line - prompting left-wing paper the Morning Star to brand him a "scab".
Dr Lee Jones, a lecturer in politics at QMU, told the paper: "I shouted over to say 'surely the shadow secretary of state is not going to cross the picket line'.
"He stopped and looked shame-faced I suppose. He sort of just hurried away. People couldn't quite believe it. It was galling."
A spokesman for Mr Hunt said he was not a member of the University and College Union.
"I support the right to strike for those who have balloted to picket," Mr Hunt said.
"I have chosen not to join the strike. My personal commitment remains to the students I am lecturing."
