RAIL unions warned of a bitter and protracted industrial dispute as they blasted the latest London Underground funding deal today.

The agreement between Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Transport for London (TfL) to help keep Tube trains running during the Covid-19 pandemic is worth over £1 billion and runs until December 11.

As part of the deal — the third such government bailout during the crisis — TfL will have to make an extra £900 million of savings this year on top of cost-cutting measures already being implemented.