New law to ensure 40% of trains run during strikes, government announces

Published

2 years ago

November 6, 2023

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The government will introduce a new law to parliament on Tuesday, which they say will ensure 40% of trains still run on strike days.

The new minimum service level regulations will also make sure “certain priority routes can remain open” – though it is not yet clear which journeys will be covered.

Other rules will be introduced for border security staff and ambulance workers, in plans Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says will “stop unions de-railing Christmas for millions of people”.

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The details follow on from the government’s Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act that it passed in January, giving ministers the power to set minimum service levels across multiple sectors.

The legislation caused an uproar from unions, who have again slammed the government for its latest move, calling it “unworkable” and “undemocratic”.

The TUC’s general secretary, Paul Nowak, said: “These anti-strike laws won’t work. The crisis in our public services is of the government’s own making.

“Rather than engaging constructively with unions, they are attacking the right to strike. And they are punishing paramedics and rail staff for daring to stand up for decent pay and better services.”

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, also claimed the government was “getting their excuses in early for Christmas”, adding: “Rishi Sunak is offering another sticking plaster to distract from the Conservatives’ track record of failure.

“We all want minimum standards of service and staffing but it’s Tory ministers who are consistently failing to provide them.”

But Mr Sunak said it was the “right long-term decision… to keep people safe and continue delivering the vital public services that hard-working people rely on”.

Under the new law, employers will be able to issue notices to people “who are reasonably required to work to ensure minimum service levels are met”, the government said.

It will also make unions “take reasonable steps and ensure their members who are identified with a work notice comply” – with the statutory guidance set out by the Department for Business and Trade following a consultation.

If unions fail to do this, they can be sued, with the maximum fine for unlawful strike action now sitting at £1m.

“We are doing everything in our power to stop unions de-railing Christmas for millions of people,” said Mr Sunak.

“This legislation will ensure more people will be able to travel to see their friends and family and get the emergency care they need.

“We cannot go on relying on short term fixes – including calling on our Armed Forces or civil servants – to mitigate the disruption caused by strike action.

“That’s why we’re taking the right long-term decision to bring in minimum service levels, in line with other countries, to keep people safe and continue delivering the vital public services that hard-working people rely on.”

The rules for border security will apply to both the Border Force and selected HM Passport Office staff, and state that services “should be provided at a level that means that they are no less effective than if a strike were not taking place”, as well as ensuring all ports and airports remain open on a strike.

For ambulance workers, the legislation will only impact England, and will “ensure that cases that are life-threatening, or where there is no reasonable clinical alternative to an ambulance response, are responded to”.

The three areas have been chosen following government consultations to establish what they think are the correct minimum service levels to introduce following a raft of strikes that have dominated the past year.

But the Department of Health and Social Care is still carrying out on “expanding the scope of minimum service levels to cover other urgent and emergency hospital-based services”, which could include nurses and doctors.

Unison – which represents ambulance workers, as well as other healthcare professionals – called the legislation a “pointless move [that] won’t solve a single problem in the NHS”.

The union’s head of health, Sara Gorton, added: “Measures are already in place to protect patients during action. Sacking ambulance workers on strike won’t get the millions awaiting hospital treatment any closer to the top of the list.

“It’s just a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the government’s appalling record on the NHS.

“The public wants ministers to cut waiting times, shorten delays and attract more staff to the NHS. Not make an already dire situation significantly worse.”

The Department for Education has already committed to introducing minimum service into schools and colleges, though at the moment it will be on a voluntary basis with agreement from unions.

However, ministers will launch their own consultation if an agreement can’t be reached.

The Department for Business and Trade is also launching a consultation on removing regulations that prevent agency workers being supplied to cover striking employees, with a promise to publish its findings “in due course”.

The TUC’s Mr Nowak said unions would continue to fight back against the “spiteful legislation”, adding: “We won’t stop until it is repealed.”

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Politics

Twenty warnings for Sir Keir Starmer from new deputy leader Lucy Powell

Published

3 hours ago

October 25, 2025

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Twenty warnings for Sir Keir Starmer from new deputy leader Lucy Powell

Labour’s new deputy leader Lucy Powell promised to be Sir Keir Starmer’s ally.

Yet in her victory speech she criticised his government and its record no fewer than 20 times. And told him to raise his game, or else.

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Here’s what she said – and what she meant:

“Division and hate are on the rise. Discontent and disillusionment widespread.” What she meant: The Labour government has been a huge disappointment.
“The desire for change is impatient and palpable.” What she meant: You’ve had 16 months to deliver change – voters are saying, “Get on with it”.
“We have to offer hope, to offer the big change the country’s crying out for.” What she meant: Stop tinkering. Get more radical. You’ve got a huge Commons majority, after all.
“We must give a stronger sense of purpose, whose side we’re on and of our Labour values and beliefs.” What she meant: We’re not doing enough for working people or tackling inequality.
“People feel that this government is not being bold enough in delivering the kind of change we promised.” What she meant: Our voters are deserting us because they don’t see change.
“I’ll be a champion for all Labour values and boldness in everything we do.” What she meant: Watch out! I’m going to hound you and hold your feet to the fire!
“We won’t win by trying to out-Reform Reform, but by building a broad progressive consensus.” What she meant: Stop the lurch to the Right on immigration. We’re better than that.
“It starts with wrestling back the political megaphone and setting the agenda more strongly.” What she meant: We need to sharpen up our communication and selling our message.
“We’ve let Farage and his ilk run away with it.” What she meant: The Reform UK leader is running rings round us in communicating and campaigning. We’re too sluggish and flat-footed.
“For too long the country and the economy has worked in the interests of the few and not the many.” What she meant: Winter fuel payment cuts were a disaster and the two-child benefit cap has to go.
“Trickle down economics hasn’t worked.” What she meant: No more tax cuts for the rich. It’s time for a wealth tax, for example, to redistribute wealth.
“Life has just got harder and harder, less and less secure in work, in housing, in making ends meet.” What she meant: We’re failing to tackle the cost of living crisis and housing shortages.
“The deep-seated inequalities that have widened in wealth in regions in class in health need fundamentally redressing.” What she meant: We’re failing to look after our “red wall” voters.
“Re-unite our voter coalition and re-unite the country.” What she meant: Start governing for everyone, urban and rural, rich and poor, North and South. Stop neglecting poorer regions.
“We need to step up.” What she meant: For goodness sake, sort out the chaos in 10 Downing. Stop blaming aides and civil servants and sacking them. Get a grip!
Members and affiliates “don’t feel part of the conversation or party of the movement right now. And we have to change that.” What she meant: Stop ignoring and alienating activists, MPs and unions.
“Unity and loyalty comes from collective purpose, not from command and control.” What she meant: Stop the control freakery in parliament and party management. It’ll backfire.
“Debating, listening and hearing is not dissent. It’s all strength.” What she meant: Listen to your backbenchers and stop suspending them when they vote against policies like welfare cuts.
“As your deputy, my commitment is to change the culture.” What she meant: I’m going to stand up for rebels and critics and force you to ditch the control freakery and bad decisions.
“At the election 16 months ago the British people voted for change. I’m here to do everything I can to make that change a reality.” What she meant: Raise your game, or else!

She said it all with a smile, but there was menace there.

As deputy leader, Lucy Powell was always going to be a critical friend. So there you go, prime minister. Here’s 20 things you need to do for her to be more friend than critic.