By Bagehot
FROM Bagehot’s office window, the usual view of Parliament and the London Eye is accessorised by hovering police helicopters: the tell-tale sign that demonstrators are marching on central London again. Today, it is the turn of teachers and other public sector workers, out on a one-day strike to protest against changes to their retirement benefits. Do the public support the strikers? The opinion polls are confused, to be honest: there are polls that show majorities supporting the right of teachers to strike over pension rights, but polls also showing opposition to this particular strike over pension rights. For the moment, the consensus among the big parties at Westminster is that the trade unions are making a mistake, though many wonder if the government will also start to get the blame if rolling strikes start to cause serious disruption in the autumn.
