Anti-strike legislation ‘won’t work’ warns Tory peer, while callers oppose rail walkouts

20 January 2023, 10:42

Tory peer says anti-strike legislation won't work warning government will lose votes in the Lords

“Workers do have rights you know” Conservative Peer Lord Balfe told Nick Ferrari, adding the government would lose votes in the House of Lords unless they review their proposed legal clampdown on industrial action, while callers felt the rail strikes should not go ahead.

A Tory peer has told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC that the government’s proposed crackdown on the wave of industrial action “won’t work” and should be reviewed, otherwise votes would be lost in the House of Lords.

Nick began: “Lord Balfe, you talk about an industrial relations climate. How much is that helped - or otherwise - by the legislation this government is seeking to bring through to provide for a minimum service in matters such as education and rail?”

Lord Balfe replied: “As of the moment, it’s not helping at all frankly. The legislation won’t work, which is the worst thing about it.”

READ MORE: Government introduces anti-strike legislation to 'ensure basic level of service' during walkouts

“Why won’t it work, Lord Balfe?” Nick queried.

“Because how do you get minimum standards?” his guest countered. “Which children do you say will not be educated? Which ambulances do you say will not run?

“They’re barking up the wrong tree here, and the best thing they can do with that bit of legislation is to drop it because it won’t work.”

Passionate caller labels UK railway services 'shocking'

Nick Ferrari then suggested Grant Shapps, Jeremy Hunt or Rishi Sunak might justify the legislation by saying “people deserve to have some kind of train service, some kind of education for their children, some kind of delivery of parcels”.

“Workers do have rights, you know”, Lord Balfe replied, adding that “there is a bit of difference between a parcel and a man with a heart attack”.

“I don’t think the government has thought it out…they are going to lose votes in the House of Lords if they do not amend this legislation”, he added.

READ MORE: Plans to curb workers' rights to strike are 'poisonous' says former Labour leader Neil Kinnock

Rudy in Bristol said: “Until the members provide a reliable proper service they don’t deserve any money. In fact the services provided are so bad they deserve a pay cut! You don't reward someone for bad service, do you?”

After Nick said this is the very reason they are striking, his caller continued to complain of “absolutely shocking trains” which are “always late” and “cancelled last minute”.

Caller: 'Mick Lynch, he loves a picket line!'

Another caller, Charlie in Reigate said RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch “loves a picket line”, saying: “Even if the strike ends tomorrow I guarantee you by the end of this year the railways will be on strike again.”In his defence, Nick said that Mr Lynch had just ensured that there would be “no compulsory redundancies” for the next seven to eight months.

Charlie supported the nurses strikes, saying they “work really hard”, but felt the RMT chief reminded him of trade unionist Arthur Scargill, adding: “I don’t like the man, he stirs up a lot of trouble.”