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Rail unions have demanded that a £700million cut in funding for London’s Tube be scrapped after a bomb scare raised security fears.

It comes after a 19-year-old man was arrested after a suspicious device was blown up in a controlled explosion at London’s North Greenwich station.

The package was discovered on an eastbound Jubilee Line train on Thursday causing transport chaos.

When he was Chancellor, George Osborne announced a £700million reduction in government handouts to Transport for London.

Union chiefs now want new Chancellor Phil Hammond to reverse that in his first big financial statement next month.

RMT boss Mick Cash said: “The all-out assault on the operating grant is an act of criminal irresponsibility by the Tories.

(Image: Sky News)

“It shows they could not care less about safety on Britain’s railways.”

Mick Whelan of drivers’ union ASLEF added: “The first duty of any government is to defend its citizens. “That’s why it’s vital this new government should put right the mistakes of the past.”

And the TSSA’s Manuel Cortes said: “Thursday’s incident exposed holes and blind-spots in the security procedures.

“You cannot drain £700 million out of this system and expect it to remain one that can safeguard the public.”

(Image: Rick Findler/PA Wire)

The unions say the cuts would mean CCTV not being monitored and fewer station evacuation staff.

A survey by TSSA showed that 83 per cent of the London Underground transport workers they represent feel less safe now than they did last year.

When Mr Osborne announced the cuts he insisted the London tube must be self-sufficient by 2020.