Mick Lynch names Irish socialist icon James Connolly as his political hero

Leader of the UK rail worker's union Mick Lynch is trending on Twitter after he appeared on a British television programme and declared James Connolly as his political hero.

The RMC leader has become a household name this week for his no nonsense style of appearing in interviews, combatting the likes of Piers Morgan, Kay Burley, Richard Madeley and more.

"Do you know who James Connolly is?" Lynch asked the interviewer, and when asked to explain he replied, "he's an Irish socialist republican. He educated himself and started non-sectarian trade unionism in Ireland and he was a hero of the Irish Revolution."

“Who’s your political hero?”

“James Connolly, an Irish socialist republican” pic.twitter.com/JAUkY9G5Nd

— Ronan Burtenshaw (@ronanburtenshaw) June 22, 2022

On Tuesday, over 50,000 railway workers went on strike and only 20% of trains ran on the day. A second protest took place on Thursday with further action set to take place on Saturday. The dispute is concerning pay rates that do not line with inflation, the prospect of major job cuts and working conditions. Lynch led Tuesday's protest and appeared on Good Morning Britain and was asked by Richard Madeley to address accusations that he was a Marxist.

"So are you or are you not a Marxist, because if you are a Marxist then you're into revolution and bringing down capitalism, so are you or aren't you," Madeley asked.

"Richard you do come up up with the most remarkable twoddle sometimes," adding "no I'm not a Marxist. I'm an elected official of the RMC, I am a working class bloke leading a trade union dispute about jobs, pay and conditions of service so it's nothing to do with Marxism, it's all about this dispute."

Check out some of the viral videos and tweets from earlier in the week:

Mick Lynch has just eviscerated Robert Jenrick and the Tories on @itvpeston pic.twitter.com/sWzDmc5eMh

— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) June 22, 2022

Mick Lynch of the RMT says funding cuts made by a "government of billionaires" are to blame for rail strikes - accusing ministers of 'telling everyone else they've got to tighten their belts while they're raking it in'.

Live: https://t.co/RbM7anaJHc

📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/u2mrE1Jo6k

— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 20, 2022

In the latest episode of ‘Mick Lynch handing Tory MPs their arse’ is knuckle dragging, backbench ballbag, Gullis.

Mick is fast becoming a national treasure.

pic.twitter.com/TxL1BDfQYS

— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) June 21, 2022

The Mick Lynch effect. https://t.co/NjXCrivfGX

— Dave Ward (@DaveWardGS) June 23, 2022

In the midst of the well-deserved praise for Mick Lynch, we need to ask why it is that the default position of most (if not all) of the people interviewing him is to take the side of capital over the workers. If media is about balance, where are the working-class journalists?

— Philip O'Connor (@philipoconnor) June 22, 2022