Matt Wrack was elected as general secretary of England’s second-largest education union last week. Speaking to Schools Week, Wrack pointed out general secretary election turnout was often low, but “equally, we can’t be happy with that 4.7 per cent”. And are we actively engaging with people properly to explain what their union membership means and why they need to participate in the union?” Wrack said. He says he wasn’t ready to retire after this “blow”, and friends flagged that NASUWT was inviting applications for general secretary. I don’t think speaking out firmly on behalf of the people you represent [is overly combative],” Wrack says.