LABOUR’S front bench broke its silence yesterday on plans to privatise staff at the National Gallery, hitting out at the “damaging” dispute between workers and bosses.

Ahead of a meeting between union reps and Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman, shadow arts minister Chris Bryant put out a call for “both sides of the dispute to get talking again as soon as possible.”

He had earlier declined to speak at a meeting by staff union PCS on Monday because he was “too busy.”

Mr Bryant also called for “a review of employment practices” to ensure all staff were paid the living wage.

“While it is not for politicians to tell the board of trustees how to run the gallery, the Labour Party is concerned by the ongoing dispute, which is damaging the reputation of the gallery, is undermining the morale amongst staff and is inconveniencing the public,” he said.

Union reps welcomed the statement but said they would continue to press Labour.