Train strikes latest: Commuters brace for more carnage as rail workers walk out again

• Train strike timetables: All the closed routes and partial services

• Teacher strike would be unforgivable, says Zahawi

• Fresh wave of strikes in two weeks as talks fail

• Starmer flinches at sacking MPs who joined pickets

• Allister Heath: Basket-case Britain proves lockdown was an epic mistake

Passengers are facing more travel carnage this morning as workers cripple the rail network with the largest industrial action in a decade.

The network across the UK is due to be brought to a standstill for the second time in a week as staff from the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) walk out in the second of three days of strikes.

Ahead of the strikes, officials were drawing up legislation that will repeal legal restrictions banning bosses from using agency staff to cover for striking workers.

A spokesman at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said it would “minimise the negative and unfair impact of strikes”, adding: “Strikes in public services such as education can often mean parents have to stay at home with their children rather than go to work, or rail sector strikes stopping commuters getting to work or to other businesses.”

Follow the latest updates below.

05:44 AM

More misery to come as negotiations break down

Rail passengers are bracing for a fresh wave of strikes in two weeks, after talks to reach a deal with unions failed.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the union would “continue with our industrial campaign until we get a negotiated settlement”.

Union sources said that the National Executive Committee meets “every day” and can announce further strike dates with just two weeks’ notice.

Network Rail is expecting a decision on new dates to be made soon after this round of strikes ends on Saturday.

They are bracing for a fresh wave of action as early as July 9, insiders told The Telegraph.

 Read the full story here

04:58 AM

People react on social media as strikes set to cause travel chaos

04:41 AM

Strikes explained: everything you need to know

Today’s strikes will bring the rail network to a standstill for the second time in a week.

Here’s everything you need to know about why the strikes are happening 

04:24 AM

Teachers could be next to strike

A teachers' strike would be "unforgivable" in the wake of Covid, the Education Secretary has said, as officials draw up plans for an army of supply teachers to keep schools open, Camilla Turner, Hayley Dixon and Ben Riley-Smith write.

Nadhim Zahawi said young people had already suffered "more disruption than any generation that’s gone before them" after the UK’s largest teaching union threatened to ballot for a strike.

On Thursday, the Government will reveal plans to change the law to allow businesses to use skilled agency workers to cover striking staff to minimise disruption.

Read the full story here

04:02 AM

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03:48 AM

Top stories - strikes latest

• Thousands of commuters are facing rail chaos this morning as RMT staff walk out for the second time in a week

• Rail passengers are bracing for a fresh wave of strikes in two weeks, after talks to reach a deal with unions failed

• A teachers' strike would be "unforgivable" in the wake of Covid, the Education Secretary has said, as officials draw up plans for an army of supply teachers to keep schools open

• On Thursday, the Government will reveal plans to change the law to allow businesses to use skilled agency workers to cover striking staff

• Boris Johnson on Wednesday faced fresh scrutiny and Tory criticism of his economic approach to inflation, which underpins negotiations on rail worker pay

• In a further threat to the holiday getaway, the Aslef union revealed it has balloted train drivers for action over pay at 11 major train companies across the country

• On Wednesday Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, laid blame for “wrecked” negotiations on Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, claiming that he was making it impossible for a settlement to be reached