RMT strikes to continue, says Mick Lynch, after members reject ‘dreadful’ pay offers – as it happened

Departure board at Euston during latest rail strike. Photograph: Guy Bell/REX/Shutterstock

5.06pm GMT

Afternoon summary

• The RMT union has rejected “dreadful” pay offers from Network Rail and train operators, prolonging the long-running dispute on the railway.

• Labour has retained the West Lancashire constituency in a byelection called after its MP, Rosie Cooper, resigned last autumn, with a 10.5% swing.

• Dominic Raab has said he “behaved professionally at all times” as a minister, despite facing criticism of his behaviour from dozens of officials.

• A third of 15-year-olds have been persistently absent from classrooms in England during the current school year, according to research that shows absence rates remain stubbornly higher than before the coronavirus pandemic.

4.33pm GMT

TSSA rail union says it will ballot its members on pay offers which mark 'progress on number of fronts'

The TSSA rail union has confirmed that it will ballot its members on the pay offers it has had from the rail companies. It says the union will not be making a formal recomendation to members as to whether they should accept or refuse.

The union says the offers includen“an improved pay deal over two years, commitments for no compulsory redundancies until the end of 2024, improved opportunities for redeployment, as well as full consultation over proposed reforms to ticket offices and any changes to terms and conditions”.

And it says the new offer includes managers or controllers at train companies, who would be offered redundancy protection.

A TSSA spokesperson said:

Members involved in this long-running dispute will now have the chance to vote on whether what the train companies have come up with is enough to address their demands.

We have fought for months on pay, job security and conditions in the face of a cost of living crisis and intransigence from government ministers.

What is on the table now is a result of careful negotiations and the commitment of our members in their determination to demonstrate our collective industrial strength.

Though the offers represent progress on a number of fronts we will continue to ballot for further industrial action as the dispute remains live.