Keir Starmer’s plan to give more power to unions will take Britain back to the 1970s, warns top minister

Labour's union power plan

Sir Keir Starmer's proposal to increase the power of trade unions has received criticism from a top minister, who warns that it will take Britain back to the 1970s. Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, accused Labour of trying to attract moderates to their party by adopting conservative language. He described Starmer's promises as "fool's gold" and cautioned that if elected, the Labour leader would give significant power to militant union members.

Fears of strikes and unrest

Writing in today's Sun on Sunday, Mr. Stride expressed concern that if Starmer becomes Prime Minister, strikes will become more prevalent. He called on Starmer to be honest about the consequences of his leadership, stating that a vote for Labour would mean more strikes for the public.

Scrapping minimum service level rules

Labour has pledged to abolish laws that require a minimum level of staffing during strikes within the first 100 days of taking power. These laws were initially introduced in response to the "winter of discontent" last year, which saw strikes causing significant disruptions in hospitals, schools, and rail services.

Tories blamed for standstill

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall criticized the Conservative government, suggesting that Chancellor Rishi Sunak had the power to end the strikes but failed to do so. She claimed that the country has been brought to a standstill under the Tories.