A Tory minister has been branded a "liar" for accusing RMT bosses for not speaking to rail operators ahead of strikes across the country.
Chris Philp, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pinned blame on the RMT for rail strikes which have ground the network to a halt.
Workers responsible for train lines and infrastructure across the UK walked out today - with further action on Thursday and Saturday - as ScotRail was able to run services on just five routes on these days.
READ MORE: Kay Burley snaps at Grant Shapps for not meeting RMT ahead of rail strikes
Major disruption is expected across the UK as the RMT union takes industrial action over a pay dispute with Network Rail and some Department of Transport rail operating companies.
It is understood that staff at ScotRail will be expected to attend their usual place of work on the days strike action is planned.
On Newsnight, Philp attempted to pin the blame on Mick Lynch, secretary general of the RMT, for refusing to meet with the Tory government.
Lynch branded Philp a liar 15 times during the interview, here's the exchange between Lynch (ML) and Philp (CP):
Philp said: "Mick Lynch has previously said he would not negotiate with the Tory government."
Lynch says: "That's a lie, that's a direct lie."
CP : "The head of the rail delivery group this morning..."
ML : "You're lying."
CP continued: "On the Today programme said he didn't want the government the negotiation. We've made money available to the railway industry. It's up to the employers to negotiate with the trade unions and what happened this afternoon was halfway through these negotiations while they were ongoing..."
ML : "That's a lie."
CP : "Unions came out onto the street..."
ML : "That's a lie."
CP : "And gave an impromptu press conference."
ML : "That is a lie. Direct lie. That is a direct lie. That is a lie. He's lying."
Lynch was asked by host Kirsty Wark if he would be prepared to negotiate with a Tory government.
He replied: "I've met every Tory transport minister in the last year, bus, rail, maritime and the Secretary of State.
"We've never said we won't meet the Tories. What we said was that they're not at the table to negotiate with the employers. You've also lied that we left negotiations on Saturday and went to a rally. There were no negotiations scheduled for Saturday.
"You are a liar."
CP : "There's a video of him walking out this afternoon giving a press conference, it's on videotape."
ML : "And then we went back to talks. You're lying."
CP : "Having said the strikes would go ahead."
ML : "You are a liar."
CP : "You said the strikes were going to go ahead."
ML : "And you're a liar."
CP : "It's on video."
ML : "You're a liar. We were back at the talks this afternoon."
ScotRail will run two trains per hour on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High line, the Edinburgh-Bathgate line, the Glasgow to Hamilton/Larkhall line and the Glasgow to Lanark line.
One train an hour will run on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts service.
Services on the five lines will only operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm on the dates affected.
Passengers were warned last week by ScotRail to only travel on the limited services "if they really need to".
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