Labour 'putting lives at risk' by opposing anti-strike laws

Business secretary goes on the attack as tensions rise

- ADAM FORREST

Business secretary Grant Shapps has accused Labour and other opposition parties of "putting lives at risk" by planning to vote against the government's anti-strike legislation.

The government is being accused of attempting to "steamroller" through its restrictions on strikes in six key sectors, amid mounting anger over the "spiteful" measure.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats oppose the bill, aimed at enforcing minimum levels of service during industrial action. But the former Tory home secretary Priti Patel said the bill did not go far enough and called on the government to widen the list of sectors involved.

It came as teachers in the National Education Union (NEU) announced a 1 February walkout across England and Wales, followed by localised strikes on other dates, while nurses are to stage another two-day strike on 6 and 7 February.

Mr Shapps told Politico that it was "frankly irresponsible for opposition MPs to put the lives of their constituents at risk by voting against this bill today, which is why public polling shows that the public supports our common-sense measure".

The business secretary insisted that the Tory government "will always protect the right to withdraw labour ... this overdue legislation will bring us into line with our European neighbours by providing minimum safety and service levels designed to protect lives".