Mick Whelan, head of the train driver’s union ASLEF, has been in the Forest of Dean along with his Where’s Wally version of Mark Harper. It’s the only way the union boss gets to see the Secretary of State for Transport, as Mark Harper hasn’t spoken to him since December 2022, despite ongoing industrial disputes. 

Mick Whelan came to Lydney station, delighted to be able to show Mark Harper the way out.  The union boss came by train to endorse Matt Bishop as Labour’s candidate.

He’s very supportive of Labour’s plans to renationalise the railways and thinks it will help deliver climate policies that are urgently needed.

“I think it’s a wonderful policy,” Mick said. “It’s been ours for many years. I will work with a Labour government from day 1 and I’m here to support Matt. We need that green agenda that the Tories have walked away from. If we want to deliver Paris, Kyoto and the 1% we need to put rail and integrated transport at its heart.”

Mick Whelan thinks that the only way forward as a country is for a Labour government that’s on the side of working people, in order to reverse the damage of the last 14 years. Renationalisation can change the ridiculous situation of people not being able to use tickets for travel from different operators and as we approach the 150 year anniversary of railways, create a network suitable for the future.

“I want the voters of the Forest of Dean to vote for you, Matt,” he said. “I want you to be in power to deliver the new deal for workers, which will rescind all the Tory laws within 100 days, to give a voice back to workers, and I want a government who will actually listen to workers so we can set an agenda for what we need for future generations to make the world a better place.”