Regardless of whether I agree with his views or not, it is just so refreshing to hear someone speak with knowledge, experience and coherence and more importantly answer a question directly and not parrot a party line ad nauseam, which is not an answer.
I haven't heard Lynch is long form before and I absolutely love him. Ive voted across the spectrum and his stance on community volunteer work absolutely resonates with me. Its fantastic.
I agree with you and Lynch's credibility and charisma make it easy to forget the part the unions played in their own downfall in the 1960s and 70s. Their intransigence and refusal to 'move with the times' led to Thatcher and by the time the next Labour government was in power, Tony Blair had to recognise that unions were vote losers for Labour in the round. I wonder if Mick Lynch will remember the lessons of history and not ruin Starmers Government, accepting to some extent that a Labour Government in name at least is better than any realsitic alternative for the union movement.
@@nickwalsh527 I hope Keir Starmer will get people like Mick Lynch on board. I understand the anger of socialists that hate Starmer, but how does that division help We need consensus
@@RobinHarris-nf4yv . Purists of whatever persuasion can seriously damage solidarity. By voting tactically, the decimation of the Tories and Reform can be achieved. Labour can win comfortably, but parties like the Greens and Lib Dems, and Independents, can gather enough support around the country, that Starmer will be forced to dial back some of his extreme liberal establishment aims, and start to offer some real policies which help ordinary people. With enough public pressure, Starmer and his Neo-libs may have to rethink their stance on Israel/Palestine, and actually do something concrete to tackle the housing crisis and wealth inequality.
we don't hear enough about how Osborne defunded councils, which led to higher business rates, which led to small businesses going bust, decimated town centres and cuts across every public service
@SamMerchant-vn4or... They have also decimated society and destroyed it...What the Tory and Blair government have done is a cataclysm and intentional which is the real kicker...
It's so easy to tell which conservative government was the most miserable, painful and destructive. It's hard to understand why so many people forget the Austerity years and scold Boris and Sunak when they gave us a lot more funding. People simply don't remember how bad the news was during 2010-16. Cameron and Osborne weren't creating anything. They were just cutting and removing things. No journey, no aspiration.
Absolutely brilliant. He is great. Straight to the source of problems and massive knowledge of how they came about and how solutions can be organised. Superb.
This idea of super-majority means they have this mega power is a nonsense pushed by the Tories trying to do whatever they can to not perish. Even during the coalition, where Conservatives barely got enough to get into office, they managed to push though awful measures and change the landscape of this country for the last 14 years. They didn't have less power than let's say the 2019 Boris Johnson majority government
It's possible that he's playing the "I'm the reasonable one, deal with me, or deal with the radicals" card. Most of politics is deception. Which is SHOCKING given "bad folks" are far more comfortable being deceptive than "good folks", it's almost as if bad folk have been writing the rules all these centuries.
Received my postal vote and she was on it, couldn't believe it. I ggogled it and apparently, because of boundary changes, she is now my MP. Long story short, she didn't get my vote 😄.
Corbyn is a looser. he has been a disaster for real working class Labour. Worst election result for Labour since 1935. Corbyn is as much use as Sunak. Preaching to his own little fan club on the idealistic left, full of graduate social workers.
Sadly his actions have won the election. I’d rather have a crappy labour gov than the alternatives. Sorry, *alternative. Which is the tories. The tories.
Wrong. By separating from the Labour party the RMT has done exactly the right thing. Mick Lynch will stay strong all the time his members support him. He's bang on the button. Only the working class, properly organised can realise their own best interests. There can only be one labour movement as he says and that's the unity we so desperately need. Break dependency on politicians and a united independent labour movement would be the most powerful force in the land by dint of one irrefutably simple fact. There's loads more of us than there is of them. We outnumber the enemy exponentially.
" honest, hardworking men."... He gets more than the Prime Minister FFS. Spouting about council houses. Do we think he lives in a grotty little council flat or a detached 5 bedroom mansion. People are Soooo easily conned.
I understandwhy he says that but I think he's wrong. Voting for labour would send them this message: "you can do anything you want, yoy can be as right wing as you chose. We will still vote for you". That's how you get neoliberal labour, democrats, etc. No, you must not vote for this party
Yeah, he's usually great but his take here is pretty daft. He's saying "Labour will win by a landslide, so no point voting otherwise" but if they'll win by a landslide anyway, it's the perfect opportunity to vote how you'd genuinely want to without having to tactically block the Tories.
And not voting for them will give the conservatives a similar message. "We can take the piss and the left vote will still be too split to be effective" it's how we got here in the first place. you play the cards you're dealt.
Unfortunately he's not wrong, he's simply stating the reality of the situation. If you really want to illicit any kind of change based on the voting system that we have then you have to vote strategically, not ideologically.
As I posted on a different thread, it makes me think he's either been bought and paid for, or compromised. It's like watching US figures still cheerleading for the Democrats and their demented president. I know Lynch is articulate, but he gets a lot of prominence in the mainstream media, and is ideally placed to be part of the controlled opposition.
@@thomashall504 agreed, it's absolutely mad to see so many people happy to p*ss their vote up the wall in 'protest' like a single person will at all care but when that vote could mean a loss for lab/libdem or green (in those rare cases) and a win for Con or even Ref... But then that's it, Novara is incredibly left, I agree with much of their position but some of their opinions I feel are blinded by conviction.
straight off the bat Mick, there is absolutely no difference between Starmer and Sunak, so we are actually morally obligated to vote with our concience. Vote independent. Screw Labour.
@@johnburrows3385 Starmer in ISN'T Tories out! All the economic and domestic policies that materially affect me, my family and the people where I live (Hastings) from the NHS & public transport to energy & water companies will not change and even worsen under a Starmer government. I WILL NOT VOTE FOR RED TORIES!!!!
Love you Mick (& Ash), but In all conscience I can no longer vote for Labour. Having suggested we do vote Labour you then gave us a multitude of reasons not to! Gonna' vote Green this time...first time ever!
i did vote green at the council election in bristol labour have been awful they lost 36 million on bristol energy bristol and first time in years labour have lost power bristol was always strong labour there so out touch all they do is moan
@yneztulsen, Some of his insights were very good, the problem with Mick Lynch and Co is the implementation. This country is just too mixed up and subverted now..
I see a lot of animus against Lynch here, making it out as if he's naive. People should at least respond to what he's actually saying. This outright rejection of any potential merit to his argument/experience in trade union and working class movements seems to be very counterproductive, if not classist in its own right. His position on the need to vote for Labour is a minor point compared to his broader arguments, since when did electoral politics become the be-all-end-all for the left? Even so, surely we can tolerate a bit of disagreement while still hearing someone out.
@@benfisher1376 aha I don’t even want to call them far left, it’s a kind of hyper-narrativistic American identity politics fused with electoral politics, that’s devoid from actual material and factual realities. That kinda insanity has pervaded the whole spectrum sadly
Great interview: honest questions, honesty answered. A pragmatic, sensible approach in genuine support of the working class. What a breath of fresh air.
Sorry Mick I can't vote for a person parachuted in from London against the will of my local Labour party. I will be voting for for Greens for the first time. Now come 2029 when Labour has done nothing and they're up against Farage then I'll probably bite the bullet.
WTF!!! A Trade Union leader telling us to vote Labour! The FPTP system is what's wrong. It's almost forcing you to vote for a party that you don't want to vote for. But forget it, Mick. I'm going to vote for the TUSC anyway.
"I believe he thinks he's a socialist" Mick starting to sound like a politician. A lot of respect for Mick Lynch in our house. But he is wrong, a vote for Keir is not a vote for labour. Vote Keir if you want but don't be disillusioned when you don't get labour and end up frustrated 'cause the "individuals" like Angela Rayner you are expecting something from don't deliver. What a mess we are in! Great to have a discussion where two people differ but still maintain respect and Ash gives Mick time and space to speak.
I could listen to this man speak for hours!! He is so honest, pragmatic and honourable and obviously cares about all things linked to making things right for the people politically in the UK. I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.
Starmer stopped anyone in the Labour Party join the railway members when they were striking, so why is Mick Lynch voting for the snake? Starmer will try and get rid of the Unions or at least weaken them. How disappointing.
Not sure about the likes of Ash. While left-wing, it does seem that some of her views have middle-class undertones. Time for true working people - not racist Reform supporters - to have their say within the media?
This lady is a quality interviewer and Mick Lynch is a very thoughtful rounded person in thought and in his humanity. You can see why the right run scared of him as his clarity cuts right through their greed and gaslighting.
It is a good discussion. I'm just 7 years younger than Mick & share much of his analysis, but this iteration of Labour has just crossed too many red lines for me.
Vote on conscience then. I'll vote Lib Dem I think because I live in a place where its them or Tory even though I support Labour. Labour are our only hope to get these goons out.
Me neither. I left the labour party after Starmer took over, I can see what's coming. It's going to be worse than Blair because there is no possible growth to be had. The last 15 years we've been using house price inflation and student loans to cover up the problem.
Not voting for Labour just so the Tories can't get back in, I'll vote for whoever I support and I wish everyone else did the same so we could break the 2 party deadlock.
I would vote green but unfortunately they don't do anything actually green I know this as I did a door to door campaign and asked the leader of that borough what are their policies? Growing more trees? More public transport? No nothing like that at all they just jump on the political bandwagon vote the Tories out at least you'll save an old forest maybe
This is just sad, this absurdity is what led so many people to vote for Brexit because apparently everyone was voting remain but they wanted to give a bloody nose to the government.
Scotland has to get out of the UK because as sure as night follows day, the tories follow labour. Labour are not the permanent answer to the tory issue for Scotland. Independence IS the permanent answer.
I don't have a problem with the people of Scotland voting for independence, but since 80% of politics is about economics I.e. money and that means how will affect the incomes of ordinary people? The biggest problem is there do not seem to be any clear projections of what will happen in economic terms. Simply appealing to nationalist pride won't do it, as Brexit has shown.
From Mick Lynch's perspective, in a trade union, he's in a position of power that CAN effect change, but you can hardly expect the average person to vote for, effectively, another wing of the "Uni-party". The reason they've come along with such a thin manifesto, is because they don't HAVE to change from the established orthodoxy. Most of what the Labour Party stands for is no different from what we've just had! Sorry, no!
Mick talks about putting pressure on Labour, but the pressure must start now. There is no way endorsing Greens and Independents would keep the Tories in. Not sure why Mick can't see that. Starmer doesn't care about him, only mounting pressure from all sides can help, including a stronger Independent/Green vote share.
My dad was born in 1916 and left school at 12 working in the butchers at 14 he became an apprentice carpenter,at 18 Joined the woodworkers union, and the union Was his life,A member of the communist party, Army life fought in WW2 ultimately at Kohema then Sumatra,Mick lynch would be the man my dad would support to the bitter end
Surely ML is aware, that the voices on the sidelines are there in the first place because of gatekeepers like him telling us not to vote for them! It's hard to take him seriously when he brass-necks a logical fallacy like that.
Labour are not the government and their option on Gaza means absolutely nothing to the Israeli government. Labour's position on Gaza is important in our heads unfortunately not out there in the world
@@JamieJinBrown German weapon delivery is the biggest after US! in their teutanic fanatism they will soon make it law german conscripts join idf! And yet, nothing will stem the tide, it's turning before the decade is out....
That was one of the most interesting interviews I’ve seen in a while. Very engaging. I think the Labour Party is incapable of representing working class people, but maybe I’m wrong and, as Mick Lynch argues, it can change. Or at least, since it already has changed for the worse, be put on a better path. These are the kinds of debates and discussions we need to have.
LABOUR AND CONSERVATIVE ARE BOTH SIDES OF THE SAME BUM.. no matter what you choose you get the same thing- There needs to be a revolutionary thinking about what people deserve!
Disagree with Mick on smaller parties having no impact on politics or history. Nigel Farage has arguably had the greatest impact on Britain's trajectory in the last 30 years without ever having a seat.
Farage is a side project bankrolled by the same moneyed interests that fund the Conservatives, he enjoys the grace of the establishment. Which philanthropic sugar daddy is going to fund your ideal movement?
@@charliebarley94 But you conflate that with the impact of Farage when he didn’t say anything about Farage. Sadly he is right when he says the smaller factions of workers movements are irrelevant unless united under the banner of the Labour Party, they just don’t have the clout.
There is plenty of choice in this election. There is no choice only if you are a "Labour or Tory ONLY" kind of guy. I have never seen an election in UK with this many Independent and then the workers party. The LEAST we should expect at this time is a hung Parliament so that there can be serious debates and diversity of arguments.
@@Sam.o.29 You have fallen for the "labour is better than Tory schtick. Stammer is worse than Boris,Cameron and Sunak. And Stammer is more authoritarian than any of those aforementioned . Stammer is WORSE!
I'm right wing libertarian normally, but he makes a lot of valid points, this is more the labour I'd be in favour of. I know we all love to marry our ideologies, i.e For Thatcher or against. The truth is our society is far more nuanced than this. There are key policies which are ruining our society. Town Planning- Stops house building, contributes to housing shortage. High immigration- Contributes to housing shortage and low wages. No protected industries hindering foreign buyout- Our nation is a serf to America and Saudi, revenue doesn't get taxed and we all pay the burden and inflated prices to a middle man. Which party is proposing to take all these issues on? 0
Anyone with an ounce of morality should be eyes wide open by now - neither the cons or keiths liebor will provide what our country needs - VOTE for ANYONE with a chance of winning just DON'T vote the Cons OR Lab 🙏
Well done Ash. Mick is genuine working class and he is so action focused rather than ideological. Wish there was more like him in the up coming Starmer government
People have just 9 days to wake up! Stammer said Education needs Reform; Stammer said the NHS needs Reform; Stammer said Housing needs Reform; Stammer said the Police needs Reform; Stammer said Parliament needs Reform; Stammer said the House of Lords needs Reform Stammer said Immigration needs Reform; Listen to him. If Stammer can see it, then so can you. Vote Reform UK
I understand Micks pragmatist approach - but ultimately asking people to vote Labour because you have no alternative is just asking people to be tacitly complicit in a fake democracy against your own values. I think that is the wrong message.
The wrong message for what though? Getting the Tories out to the degree they aren't even the opposition government is the best shot we have at making any material change under FPP. It also exposes the political vulnerability of parties under FPP if actually leveraged by the electorate through tactical voting If the emotional response to that is political despondency, then you need to get enthusiastic about pushing for things like PR & preferential voting so that idealistic scenarios like progressive coalitions & more independent MPs have the remotest possibility of materialising. Yes the system is fundamentally flawed, which means you cannot be idealistic about how you leverage it for the least-worst outcomes. Your best shot at having it be changed is to force it to not work for the political establishment either. To show that the pendulum swings against the incumbent will only become more & more extreme so long as nothing fundamentally changes.
I can see why Mick says vote labour because he can genuinely hold them to account with strike action which would be genuinely damaging. For me my only power is my vote, and it will be going to the Greens
I spent a lot of time working in bars and some of that time trying to unionise. As discussed in the video, it's incredibly difficult, and the current union structures are out of ideas and unprepared for it. The focus is solely on gaining membership density but has nothing fresh in terns of action, which turns activists into Avon ladies for socialism, and leaves workers feeling bewildered and scammed. On the other side of the problem, you have left wingers, both middle class and working class gravitating to academic analysis rather than action, as well as infighting between different groups with similar aims. I have always found it really refreshing and agreed with Mick's action led approach. I don't have to agree with every point he makes, we come from different places and we are different ages. Perhaps as its because I get along more with anarchist ideas, which are never going to be enacted quickly and indeed, see politics as an ongoing conversation rather than a destination. I'm lucky to be in a labour stronghold, so voting Green to try to push left. I can't bear Starmer and I feel genuinely miserable about parliamentary politics, but as Mick aludes to, real politics happens outside of Westminister. There is too much focus on the personalities running the parties, rather than policies.
Respectfully disagree. The Left will have absolutely zero leverage over a party with 400 seats. It could have a hell of a lot of leverage over a party with a small minority. Vote for a Green, socialist or communist candidate in your seat to avoid giving Labour a blank cheque.
I like Mick Lynch, but I cannot bring myself to vote for Starmer. It's not about Corbyn, or the left. It's all about the fact that labour cannot be trusted. Matter of fact, none of the existing parties deserve that trust. A reform vote is seeming likelier by the minute, and whilst I'm not expecting miracles there, at least I can say I didn't fall for this ridiculously skewed political system we all seem to be relying upon to fix a nation that's been broken for a decade at least.
I wish debate was allowed on the labour forum. If you are perceived as left labour member. You’ll be blocked. So, we’ve lost the process of debate and are now an echo chamber for the right.
Yes, indeed We are in a cycle of decline but it's British Politics as a whole that's in decline. With each election there is a consistent lowering of the bar. Our political parties throw up more questions than answers. Our politicians have got complete licence to be as dishonest as they please. Standards, integrity and credibility are rapidly evaporating
For me it's just contradictory waffle. Support labour because 2 of them are union people, and they'll have a big majority (where 2 counts less no?). Problem with the left is that it's too intellectual and vanguardist, and to reform UK we need to educate the working classes (bit intellectually patronising no?) Union bigwigs and labour go hand in hand cause they love power while still feeling like they're the good guys. (I have always been in a union and still advocate for every worker to do so)
Kid Starver’s Labour did and does not support any strike action, which is after all, everyone’s last resort. They have been explicit in siding with the corporations, businesses and the idle-classes capitalists.
Good man, lots of good ideas, particularly about the working class, but Labour need pressure from the left, they need to know they will be electorally punished for abandoning the policies that this country so desperately needs.
The end of free university education, final salary pension schemes and affordable property. God help the youth of today. Let’s face it you will only get on if you have wealthy parents or start a successful business. Get a so called “good job” and it will likely absorb your life make you very stressed miserable and addicted. Politics won’t change any of this
Great interview by Ash Sarkar a very articulate striking young woman. I'm a great fan of Mick Lynch but if there is a difference between labour & the Tories I just can't see it, I've never voted Tory & never will. I'd be more inclined to vote Labour again if Angela Rayner were at the reins.
Why should we vote Labour Mr Lynch? Starmer has shown nothing but disdain for ordinary working people. The Labour Party is no more. He has finished Blair’s job of turning it into a neoliberal cesspit
Would love to watch a 3 hour debate involving Mick and the party leaders. I learn more every time I listen to this fine example of upstanding citizen railing against the powers thst be for the betterment of the people he serves. Bravo, sir.
