>In response to Lynch’s popularity, some are already starting to grumble about this being ‘politics as fandom’; in other words, silly and lacking in substance. It’s true that social media has an innate tendency towards cults of personality and there’s reason to feel ambivalent about this: turning the representative of a collective movement into an internet celebrity risks trivialising the issues at stake. But people aren’t just sharing sassy clips of Lynch “owning” broadcast journalists and their inane questions, they’re also posting footage where he talks about wealth transfer and the power of collective bargaining in a way that makes sense to ordinary people – the further these ideas are spread the better. The fervour around him also contains an expression of hope, possibility and defiance, which is particularly welcome when you consider how many L’s we’ve all been taking since 2019.
>
>([🪞](https://archive.ph/aSzSm))
Labour, despite what their name might imply, want nothing to do with the unions these days. And yet I’d vote for this guy before any Labour leader of the past 20 years. And that’s despite of RMT being in favour of Brexit.
The public are relieved to hear someone talking straight and not dancing around shit, calling people out for flat out lying etc.
I have no doubt that the Right wing press, Downing Street and Conservative Central office are desperately trawling every source they can lay their hands on at the moment to try to uncover anything to discredit Mick Lynch.
I don’t think he is doing anything particularly remarkable, and I suspect Mr. Lynch would agree. It more about what he isn’t doing, no blustering, no obfuscating, no trying to pre-emptively cover his arse, it combines with truly shocking journalism to show just how low the standards in public life are.
Nick Robinson did a fantastic interview with him on radio 4 and he seems like a genuinely lovely, extremely intelligent and articulate guy who just wants decent workers rights and a properly run rail industry
Putting bets on the spurious hit pieces that will start to come out
Mick for PM!!
The phrase “speaking truth to power” has been in vogue in recent years but if there’s a better example of it than Mick Lynch I have missed it.
He is substance over style. He has no interest in personality politics, just in doing good for the unions and the employees on strike. When everything seems to be getting worse, it can be comforting to have someone plain come in and try to get things done simply. He is like Ronseal and that is all some people really want right now.
This hero worship is a bit uncomfortable and sets him up for a fall. Hes clearly a straight talking down to earth bloke that believes in his cause and knows it inside out. Hes not a politician but shows what one would be like in a different system.
Mick Lynch is a fucking legend. He’s a breath of fresh air. Can’t praise the man enough
Unless you happen to be in the RMT, he is going to do fuck all to help you.
Which is fair enough, that’s not his job.
But I am not sure how that makes him the hero that “we” need right now.
An electable Labour leader at any point in the last 14 years would have been a lot more useful.
Think the guy has been great for the country in the moment, a real hero for the current cause, and it’s one that i support 110%. However, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves in offering our unquestioning support for the man as an individual. He has said some slightly eyebrow-raising things about the war in Ukraine, for instance, and has defended some pretty reprehensible stances amongst his leadership team on the matter.
About damn time too, I wish I had a union like him leading in the gig economy (that’s where strikes should happen, especially for those of us that do precarious delivery work with unstable wages).
He is a hero!
I personally cannot wait for when every single worker in every single industry in the country goes on strike for higher pay, inspired by this brave heroic humble man!
Who needs food or water or any of the shite a working economy gets us, let’s all down tools right now and strike for more money! Who’s with me?! 😀
Glosses over the fact he was gung-ho for Brexit which is one of the major drivers of this cost of living spike.
Hero!!!!!
He is a fuckin bell end of the highest order!!!
What we need is anarchy, not another millionaire poser pretending to care about the Prols.
The guy is on £124,000p.a, he doesn’t care about you.
20 comments
>In response to Lynch’s popularity, some are already starting to grumble about this being ‘politics as fandom’; in other words, silly and lacking in substance. It’s true that social media has an innate tendency towards cults of personality and there’s reason to feel ambivalent about this: turning the representative of a collective movement into an internet celebrity risks trivialising the issues at stake. But people aren’t just sharing sassy clips of Lynch “owning” broadcast journalists and their inane questions, they’re also posting footage where he talks about wealth transfer and the power of collective bargaining in a way that makes sense to ordinary people – the further these ideas are spread the better. The fervour around him also contains an expression of hope, possibility and defiance, which is particularly welcome when you consider how many L’s we’ve all been taking since 2019.
>
>([🪞](https://archive.ph/aSzSm))
Add:
>Politics Home: [Rail Union Says “Silent Hand Of Government” Is Blocking Deal To End Strikes](https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/rmt-mick-lynch-grant-shapps-blocking-deal-to-end-rail-strikes)
>
>RMT, the union at the heart of the industrial dispute that has brought the rail network to a halt today, has accused ministers of malignly influencing the negotiations to end the strikes.
and
>Guardian live: [Train strikes:: Second day of rail strikes start after talks collapse in acrimony](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2022/jun/23/train-strikes-railways-rail-disruption-britain-latest-updates)
[deleted]
Labour, despite what their name might imply, want nothing to do with the unions these days. And yet I’d vote for this guy before any Labour leader of the past 20 years. And that’s despite of RMT being in favour of Brexit.
The public are relieved to hear someone talking straight and not dancing around shit, calling people out for flat out lying etc.
I have no doubt that the Right wing press, Downing Street and Conservative Central office are desperately trawling every source they can lay their hands on at the moment to try to uncover anything to discredit Mick Lynch.
I don’t think he is doing anything particularly remarkable, and I suspect Mr. Lynch would agree. It more about what he isn’t doing, no blustering, no obfuscating, no trying to pre-emptively cover his arse, it combines with truly shocking journalism to show just how low the standards in public life are.
Nick Robinson did a fantastic interview with him on radio 4 and he seems like a genuinely lovely, extremely intelligent and articulate guy who just wants decent workers rights and a properly run rail industry
Putting bets on the spurious hit pieces that will start to come out
Mick for PM!!
The phrase “speaking truth to power” has been in vogue in recent years but if there’s a better example of it than Mick Lynch I have missed it.
He is substance over style. He has no interest in personality politics, just in doing good for the unions and the employees on strike. When everything seems to be getting worse, it can be comforting to have someone plain come in and try to get things done simply. He is like Ronseal and that is all some people really want right now.
This hero worship is a bit uncomfortable and sets him up for a fall. Hes clearly a straight talking down to earth bloke that believes in his cause and knows it inside out. Hes not a politician but shows what one would be like in a different system.
Mick Lynch is a fucking legend. He’s a breath of fresh air. Can’t praise the man enough
Unless you happen to be in the RMT, he is going to do fuck all to help you.
Which is fair enough, that’s not his job.
But I am not sure how that makes him the hero that “we” need right now.
An electable Labour leader at any point in the last 14 years would have been a lot more useful.
Think the guy has been great for the country in the moment, a real hero for the current cause, and it’s one that i support 110%. However, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves in offering our unquestioning support for the man as an individual. He has said some slightly eyebrow-raising things about the war in Ukraine, for instance, and has defended some pretty reprehensible stances amongst his leadership team on the matter.
About damn time too, I wish I had a union like him leading in the gig economy (that’s where strikes should happen, especially for those of us that do precarious delivery work with unstable wages).
He is a hero!
I personally cannot wait for when every single worker in every single industry in the country goes on strike for higher pay, inspired by this brave heroic humble man!
Who needs food or water or any of the shite a working economy gets us, let’s all down tools right now and strike for more money! Who’s with me?! 😀
Glosses over the fact he was gung-ho for Brexit which is one of the major drivers of this cost of living spike.
Hero!!!!!
He is a fuckin bell end of the highest order!!!
What we need is anarchy, not another millionaire poser pretending to care about the Prols.
The guy is on £124,000p.a, he doesn’t care about you.