Rishi Sunak accused of ‘playing the man, not the ball’ after branding RMT boss Mick Lynch ‘Grinch’

Millionaire Prime Minister claimed union members are being used ‘foot soldiers in class war’ in editorial

Millionaire Rishi Sunak has accused union boss Mick Lynch of being “a Grinch” using workers in a “class war”.

The Prime Minister claimed in a Sunday newspaper that union members were being used ‘as foot soldiers’ and that “an increasing number of union members want a deal”.

But the RMT has hit back at the comments, accusing the Prime Minister of “playing the man, not the ball” and scuppering efforts to resolve the long-running pay dispute.

And the PM’s “Grinch” jibe come after the Independent revealed Mr Sunak’s “stealth tax raid” means Britons will be paying £150bn in extra national insurance contributions and income tax over the next six years,

Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Mr Sunak said the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had been offered deals that are “fair” and “affordable to taxpayers” but these had been rejected.

“The unions are causing misery for millions, with transport strikes in particular cruelly timed to hit outings at Christmas,” he wrote.

“Labour backs the Grinches that want to steal Christmas for their own political ends,” Mr Sunak continued.

“Rail workers and border officers have been offered deals that are fair — and affordable to taxpayers. An increasing number of union members want a deal. They are tired of being foot soldiers in Mick Lynch’s class war.”

In response, the RMT accused the government of “torpedoing” a deal at the last minute.

Mick Lynch insists the strike action still has strong public support (PA Wire)

On Twitter, a spokesperson wrote: “ To be clear the RMT first balloted our members in May and the first rail strikes took place in June.

“The Tories have had months to resolve this dispute and even torpedoed a deal at the eleventh hour. Even now, they would rather play the man, not the ball.”

It comes as services restart following 48 hours of strike action by rail workers, causing more travel misery for passengers as a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions remains deadlocked.

Talks between the leader of the RMT union, train company employers and Rail Minister Huw Merriman on Thursday failed to make a breakthrough.

The union went ahead with a walkout from Friday on Network Rail and 14 train operators, which crippled services across the country.

Rishi Sunak referred to the Dr Seuss character the Grinch in his comment piece (Getty Images)

Disruption will continue for the rest of the month because of an overtime ban by RMT members at 14 train operators.

A 48-hour strike by bus drivers in London on Saturday added to travel disruptions.

Mr Lynch is maintaining that the union continues to receive strong support from the public.

He said: “It’s better we are talking than not, so the rail minister convened a meeting on Thursday with the RMT representatives along Network Rail and the train operators.

“We exchanged some ideas and some possibilities, there was no negotiations at that, nothing arising tangible out of that.

“But what he did having heard that as the facilitator, as they describe themselves and the people that ultimately own the purse strings, is he invited us and requested that we get together and hold further talks going forward and we’ll do that in the next period if the companies want to get engaged in it.”