Row between two Tube drivers over picture of the Queen (Evening Standard)

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'Extraordinary' row between two Tube drivers over picture of the Queen on office wall sees one suspended and the portrait removed

A picture of the Queen is at the centre of an extraordinary row between two Tube drivers, the Standard can reveal.

A Central line worker who put a poster of the monarch on an office wall has been suspended by London Underground bosses after the other driver accused him of creating a ^hostile^ working environment. The picture ^ and another the driver put on his desk ^ has now been removed while an investigation is carried out.

His union representative branded the removal of the pictures ^bizarre^ and demanded that the decision be reversed. Long-running animosity between the two drivers is thought to have come to a head over the pictures. The framed A4-sized poster and the desk portrait had been displayed for around a year at the shared offices at the Central line depot in Loughton, Essex. They were removed on Friday and have not been returned.

The complainant is a member of the RMT^▸ , while the suspended driver belongs to rival union Aslef and this is believed to have added to the tensions. A source said the men have vastly differing political allegiances, which had added to the toxic atmosphere between them.

The suspended driver^s Aslef representative called the decision to remove the pictures ^extraordinary^.

However the complainant said the dispute was not solely about images of the Queen, but was part of a much wider case against the other driver - including allegations of bullying and intimidation.

He said he had been on sick leave due to the stress caused by the case but had worked his shift yesterday.

Speaking on the doorstep of his home, he told the Standard: ^ve had a lot of time off work with stress with threats made against my family and my home^ it^s been rumbling on for a couple of years but the London Underground have said I can^t say anything.^

Finn Brennan, Aslef district organiser for London, said his driver denied allegations of bullying or harassment.

He added: ^It is extraordinary that a public corporation under the control of Boris Johnson is instructing staff to remove photographs of the Queen. We have written to the company to ask them for an immediate investigation and for this bizarre decision to be reversed.^

An LU manager took the decision to suspend the Aslef driver two weeks ago amid claims of bullying and harassment, including on social media.

Peter McNaught, LU^s Operations Director responsible for the Central line, said: ^Following a dispute between two members of staff on the Central line, a full investigation is being carried out by senior managers and a member of staff has been suspended pending the outcome. We take all claims of bullying and harassment extremely seriously and do not tolerate such behaviour in the workplace.^

LU will be eager to defuse quickly any ongoing controversy over the Queen^s image as it enjoys strong links with the Royal Family. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited Baker Street last year to mark the Tube^s 150th anniversary; and she went to Aldgate station in 2010 to remember the victims of the 2005 Tube bombings.