Angela Rayner's plan to water down anti-strike laws will send Britain back to the 'bad old days' of the 1970s, Tories warn

Labour's plan to water down anti-strike laws will plunge Britain back into the 'bad old days' of 1970s-style snap walkouts or spark huge tax hikes, the Tories warned last night.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper sounded the alarm as he pointed out that the only rail dispute yet to be resolved is with the union whose militant boss sits on Labour's powerful National Executive Committee.

At present, union barons can only call walkouts if 40 per cent of members vote in favour on a turnout of 50 per cent. They must also give two weeks' notice of any strikes.

But Mr Harper told the Mail these protections for the public would be swept away given that they are enshrined in the Trade Union Act 2016, which Labour has pledged to repeal.

He added that this would lead to much more damaging strike campaigns or send the cost of running public services soaring to meet union barons' demands, in turn requiring tax hikes.

The overhaul is part of Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner's promise to strengthen workers' rights.

The swipe at Labour comes as Ms Rayner faces a knockout election contest with a professional wrestler in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency. Robert Barrowcliffe, 25, who fights under the alias Rob Valentine, has entered the political ring as Reform UK's candidate.

Ms Rayner has also vowed to reverse the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 within 100 days of taking power. The legislation was introduced to allow employers to force workers into delivering a minimum level of service during strikes to limit their impact.

Separate analysis has also claimed that a return to 'French-style' union laws under a Labour government could lead to intimidation in the workplace and bullying by militant hard-Left members.

The Tory probe into Labour's Plan To Make Work Pay highlights how it includes a pledge to bring back 'workplace ballots' and give 'access rights' for union reps into workplaces.

It is feared this could lead to some workers being bullied into strike action by militant members, making strike action more likely. Currently, strike ballots must be posted to the worker's home by law.

Mr Harper said: 'I don't think it's a coincidence that the one [rail] union which has refused to put the deal that is on the table to its members is the one whose general-secretary sits on Labour's National Executive Committee and who runs the Trade Unions for Labour Organisation.

'And Louise Haigh [Shadow Transport Secretary] herself has said that she wants to 'work hand in glove' with him. 

'And I think that combined with Angela Rayner's trade union laws means you'd have strikes where you didn't have to meet [turnout] thresholds, you didn't have to give notice and I think you go to the bad old days where they'd call strike action and expect loads of money to be thrown at them.

'It's taxpayers' money and you therefore either get a much more expensive railway, which ultimately gets passed on to consumers, or you get a railway with even more disruption than you've had from the strike action today. But that goes for all other types of unions as well, not just transport.'

The Aslef union, which represents train drivers, has been striking for nearly two years after rejecting an offer of an 8 per cent pay hike. Ms Haigh previously promised to work 'hand in glove' with the union's militant boss Mick Whelan.