Keir Starmer vows to scrap Tory legal guidelines that restricted the fitting to strike

Sir Keir Starmer will today announce an end to ‘cheap and vindictive’ attacks by central government on the trade union movement.

In the first speech by a Prime Minister to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference in 15 years, he will vow to scrap Conservative-era laws that limited the right to strike.

He will promise the biggest expansion of workers’ rights in a generation, insisting that unions and businesses need not be at odds.

Sir Keir will also claim that he will not risk economic stability by giving unions everything they want in pay, despite having agreed bumper deals for train drivers and junior doctors.

The PM is expected to tell delegates at the TUC in Brighton: ‘It is time to turn the page – business and unions, the private and public sector, united by a common cause to rebuild our public services and grow our economy.

Keir Starmer (pictured on Sunday) will be the first Prime Minister in 15 years to give a speech to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference 

Tory business and trade spokesman Kevin Hollinrake warned Labour risked rewiring the economy back to a time where union bosses held the country to ransom in the 1970s

‘Higher growth, higher wages, higher productivity. The shared purpose of partnership as the path through the mess the Tories made and onwards to national renewal.’

But last night Tory business and trade spokesman Kevin Hollinrake said: ‘If Keir Starmer cared about working with businesses he would listen to the howls of opposition from business leaders about his plans to strengthen the unions and force unworkable proposals on employers that will cost jobs.

‘Instead, he is just doing his union paymasters’ bidding, raising taxes and drowning businesses in a tidal wave of new French-style rules and red tape.

‘Labour must change course now or they risk rewiring the economy back to a time where union bosses held the country to ransom.’

Mr Hollinrake added: ‘Labour are plotting to rip up vital protections for workers who want to keep working, dragging Britain back to the dark days of the 1970s.’

Labour’s 1978-79 Winter of Discontent saw strikes by waste collectors which led to rubbish filling London’s streets

Aslef picket line outside Reading Station in April during crippling rail strikes 

In his speech, Sir Keir will set out details of the Employment Rights Bill promised in the first 100 days of his administration.

It will give workers the right to demand flexible hours from their first day in new jobs as well as the ‘right to switch off’ at evenings and weekends. 

And the legislation will also be used to repeal the 2016 Trade Union Act, which required at least half of members to take part in a vote before a walkout could be allowed, as well as last year’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act, which attempted to keep key public services running during industrial action by ensuring skeleton staff were on duty.

The PM will say: ‘Let’s be clear why we need this Bill. It’s because this Government is committed to driving up living standards, improving productivity and working in partnership with workers.

‘And as part of that Bill we will repeal the 2016 Trade Union Act, we will get rid of Minimum Service Level legislation, end the cheap and vindictive attacks on this movement and turn the page on politics as noisy performance – once and for all.’

However he will also claim that his Government ‘will not risk its mandate for economic stability’ with union leaders demanding above-inflation pay deals for their members.

‘With tough decisions on the horizon, pay will inevitably be shaped by that,’ the PM will warn.