Militant stand: The story of the rail strike crisis... so far
It was said that Britain's rail bosses heaved a sigh of relief when Mick Lynch was elected leader of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union in May 2021.
Backed by his predecessor Mick Cash, Lynch was seen as the more moderate, responsible candidate compared to his rivals Steve Hedley, John Leach, and Gordon Martin. The Guardian even went so far as to describe him as a 'centrist' – a label he wasted no time in distancing himself from.