The tube strike militant

This is the hardline union official who will today bring London to its knees.

Bobby Law, the RMT's regional organiser for the capital, stormed out of a last-ditch meeting with Tube bosses after only 20 minutes yesterday, condemning commuters to two days of misery.

Mr Law led the RMT's delegation to the crisis talks which were convened by London Underground chiefs in a desperate bid to halt the stoppage.

But he led an angry walkout of union officials after 20 minutes of discussions - the latest move in his long career of militancy. Today Mr Law made a final offer to call off the strike if Mayor Ken Livingstone takes over the talks. He said: "Unless Mr Livingstone takes over negotiations the strike will go ahead." Despite the massive scale of the walkout, only one third of staff working for the Tube and Metronet, the private firm which runs part of the system, actually voted for industrial action.

Out of 7,295 staff who could vote, only 2,446 backed a strike - and most did not even bother to take part in the ballot.

The strike centres on a dispute over pay and conditions for station staff.

RMT members have been offered a two-year package giving them a minimum starting salary of £22,000 - a 16 per cent rise - as well as a four-day week and paid meal breaks.

But they have turned it down, claiming it would mean 800 job losses as part of the "productivity" conditions attached to the deal.

Yesterday an extra 0.25 per cent pay rise was offered by London Underground - but that was still rejected by the delegation led by Mr Law.

When the RMT staff walk out tonight, up to 80 per cent of Tube services will be brought to a halt. Some lines may stop altogether or be reduced to a

handful of trains.

The only advice Transport for London could offer commuters was to walk - or get home by 6.30pm tonight.

No extra bus services have been laid on, and overground trains are braced for massive numbers of people trying to cram onto rush-hour services.

London business leaders have condemned the walkout, claiming it will "hugely damage" the capital's economy and cost up to £70 million in lost production.

They also warned that it could jeopardise London's chances of winning the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Hundreds of thousands of commuters are expected to stay at home.

RMT workers, meanwhile, are expected to picket a series

of Tube depots and stations - many of which will have to shut entirely if other staff refuse to cross picket lines.

The dispute has descended into one of the most bitter to hit the Underground in years, with RMT leader Bob Crow falling out with the Mayor after Mr Livingstone said that if he were a union member, he would cross picket lines.

But the Mayor has so far left talks to Tube managers, led by LU's second-in-command Mike Brown - despite having previously labelled those in charge of LU as "dullards" and "knuckleheads".

Motoring organisations have warned of gridlock throughout central London tomorrow as commuters turn to their cars.

In spite of the strike, parking restrictions have not been lifted and the £5 congestion charge will still apply.

The RMT has refused to agree to the package on offer because of claims that it would mean hundreds of station staff losing their jobs.

It also says that LU has " dismissed" its claim for a four-day week.

Tube chiefs are attempting to change the roster system to allow a massive expansion of late-night trains in line with pledges made by the Mayor to bring the Underground into line with London's status as a 24-hour world city.

But the union wants guarantees that taxis or minicabs will be provided to get staff home when they finish in the early hours and says bosses have refused to discuss this issue.