FORMER Transport Secretary Grant Shapps galvanised rail workers into continuing national strike action through “noisy political rhetoric,” the boss of Network Rail said today.

Andrew Haines argued that negotiations with transport unions RMT and Aslef have been conducted in a “more measured tone” since Mark Harper replaced the Welwyn Hatfield MP in October.

Following the launch of widespread walkouts over jobs, pay and conditions at the state-run infrastructure firm and several private train operators in June last year, Mr Shapps vowed to curb the ability of “lying, militant, extreme-left unions” to disrupt services.