Mick Lynch interviews: 8 quotes and one liners from Mick Lynch amid RMT strikes

Mick Lynch has made a name for himself not only by representing his union, but for his straight talking, no nonsense interview style.

By Stephen Mcilkenny

Published 12th Jan 2023, 12:52 BST

Updated 12th Jan 2023, 13:17 BST

Many of his interviews have gone viral with thousands sharing footage of his responses to media commentators and politicians.

His different style to cliched questions about the strike from journalists and MPs amid the cost of living crisis and the RMT has resulted in the RMT leader making a name for himself while informing members of the public about the current strike.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT)

1. Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT)

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) Photo: PA

Tory MP Greg Smith, who told Lynch that he had to accept that strike action was causing the public to turn away from the railway.

The straight-talking union leader once more dispatched the question replying: “Are you talking about when we’re on strike or when we’re not on strike?”, to which the Tory MP replied: “When you’re on strike”.

Lynch answered: “What about the days when we’re not on strike, when it’s absolutely useless as well?

2. On the impact of strikes to the public

Tory MP Greg Smith, who told Lynch that he had to accept that strike action was causing the public to turn away from the railway. The straight-talking union leader once more dispatched the question replying: “Are you talking about when we’re on strike or when we’re not on strike?”, to which the Tory MP replied: “When you’re on strike”. Lynch answered: “What about the days when we’re not on strike, when it’s absolutely useless as well? Photo: House of Commons

3. The Hood - Piers Morgan interview

Piers Morgan who wanted to know why Lynch had used a Thunderbirds villain as his profile picture on Facebook. Morgan asked: “I’m wondering where the comparison goes because he was obviously an evil, criminal, terrorist mastermind, described as the world’s most dangerous man, who wreaked utter carnage and havoc on the public?” Lynch replied: “Is that the level we are at? Don’t you want to talk about the issues rather than a little vinyl puppet.” He also asked "Do you think I look like the most evil person in the world, Piers?" Photo: James Manning

Lynch was widely praised for debunking a number of government attack lines on the strike when he came up against the Tory MP Robert Jenrick on Peston.

The former cabinet minister appeared to accuse the RMT of losing 20 per cent of rail passengers. Lynch said: “I haven’t lost them, Covid did. We operated trains all throughout that period.

He added: “The worst way you could do it is by insisting the fares go up by RPI ripping off the commuters, but you won’t give the workers RPI.

The fares go up by RPI every year. That’s the government regulations.

Last year, profits were made by the train operators – £500m out of that subsidy you gave went to those companies.”

4. Hitting back at Covid claims

Lynch was widely praised for debunking a number of government attack lines on the strike when he came up against the Tory MP Robert Jenrick on Peston. The former cabinet minister appeared to accuse the RMT of losing 20 per cent of rail passengers. Lynch said: “I haven’t lost them, Covid did. We operated trains all throughout that period. He added: “The worst way you could do it is by insisting the fares go up by RPI ripping off the commuters, but you won’t give the workers RPI. The fares go up by RPI every year. That’s the government regulations. Last year, profits were made by the train operators – £500m out of that subsidy you gave went to those companies.” Photo: Stefan Rousseau