Mick Lynch is running rings around mainstream journalists again

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RMT leader Mick Lynch has been schooling the media again. This time as part of an interview where he took on three journalists at once. It has to be said, though, these journalists were rather more measured than the likes of Kay Burley and Piers Morgan, who Lynch trounced on TV during the last round of strikes.

Lynch took the opportunity to talk about taxations, being stalked by Britain’s gutter press, and more besides. Once again Lynch gave the kind of masterclass in public communications which middle class hacks can’t compute.

Progressive taxation

Top Tories, he told BBC Newcast, seem to think taxation is some kind of disease. Rather than a potentially progressive obligation to the rest of society:

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And he pointed out that most of have no choice about tax, because it’s taken out of our wages. That’s unlike tax dodging CEO’s.

Stalked!

Lynch also explained his approach to the media: to give serious answers to serious questions. But he made clear that when journalists played games with “dopey” or “vapid” answers, he would take no prisoners.

And, he explained how during the height of the strikes his wife, kids, and relatives in the US had been hassled by the press:

Lynch also dealt with the government claim that raising wages was a cause of inflation. But he gave the argument short thrift. He asked why it was always workers wages, not corporate profit which were centred when inflation was discussed. And, he called for a proper redistribution:

Summer of Solidarity

Lynch also had strong words for the Labour Party. He branded the Tory leadership candidates as extreme right-wingers, but said they at least had confidence in their values.

Keir Starmer’s Labour, he said, needed to do the same with left-wing values. As did the rest of the labour movement, which had been in decline since the 80s:

Powerful voice

Again, Lynch, like other trade union leaders, has proven to be a breath of fresh air. He has none of the polish, smarm and spin of middle class journalists and commentators. He knows his topic deeply and articulates himself in a frank, no-nonsense way.

And he’s right when he says what we need is a ‘summer of solidarity’. And Labour better catch up, or be left behind – once again.

Featured image via RMT, cropped to 770 x 403

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