Thank you to all those who have contacted me about the right to strike.

With the UK facing the most profound cost-of-living crisis in a generation, many workers are finding that their pay packets no longer cover their basic needs. Inflation is at its highest in a generation, economic growth is barely existent and the cost of basic necessities is soaring. I therefore understand the strength of feeling among workers who are struggling with bills and seeing record falls in real pay. I am on the side of working people, and I unequivocally support workers’ right to strike to improve pay and conditions.

Nobody takes strike action lightly and the right to do so is a fundamental one in our society. So I share your concern that the Government is seeking to undermine this right. As you will know, it has already introduced regulations which lift the ban on employers bringing in agency staff during strikes, as well as increasing the maximum level of damages that courts can award against trade unions over industrial action. I voted against these regulations. Unfortunately, they nevertheless passed with the support of Government MPs.

The Government has also committed to banning strikes on the rail network unless unions have agreed with employers to continue providing a minimum service during industrial action. Furthermore, as you highlight, the new Prime Minister has said she wants to introduce a range of measures that would make it much harder for workers to strike, including extending these minimum service level plans to other public sector workers. She has also pledged to raise the threshold level of support required for strikes to 50%, to limit the number of times workers can stage walkouts in the six months after a successful ballot and to increase the minimum notice period for industrial action from two weeks to four weeks.

I believe these plans are simply a distraction from the Government’s failure to address the cost-of-living crisis. They are utterly wrong, will risk public and worker safety, erode workers’ rights and encourage the very worst practices. I can assure you that I will continue to stand on the side of working people and support efforts to defend workers’ rights to organise and withdraw their labour as they seek to secure fair pay and deliver better working conditions.

Thank you once again for contacting me.