Demoralised probation workers sent an apocalyptic warning to Tory Justice Secretary Chris Grayling yesterday over privatisation plans that have plunged the service into chaos.

Members of the Napo and Unison unions will descend on Parliament today to demand an independent inquiry into plans dubbed Transforming Rehabilitation that would break up the system and hand half of it to profit-making firms.

On the eve of the lobby workers delivered a huge 98 per cent vote of no confidence in Mr Grayling’s leadership with eight in 10 of those employed at every level of the system saying they were so fed up that they had wanted to quit their job in the past year.

More than half are actively job-hunting — threatening the collapse of a system meant to rehabilitate ex-prisoners and protect the public.

They are among thousands of probation workers currently buckling under the weight of “reforms” that have seen local trusts scrapped and staff reassigned either to a centralised National Probation Service or one of 21 state-owned “community rehabilitation companies” that are earmarked for the £450 million-a-year privatisation.

Among 30 front-runners for the contracts are social security cuts enforcer A4E, serial outsourcing offender Capita and boycott-dogged union-baiters Sodexo.

Napo general secretary Ian Lawrence branded the “dangerous reforms” as untried and untested and warned that they would “undermine public protection if they go ahead.”

A survey of hundreds of union members confirmed near unanimous opposition with 99 per cent saying they did not support the minister’s plans.

Front-line workers reported rising stress levels, plummeting morale and low standards — and predicted that the situation would not improve under Mr Grayling’s scheme.

The stinging assessment formed part of a dossier passed to the Commons justice committee.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis predicted that the privatisation would be a “disaster.”

“Our members working in probation have spoken loud and clearly of their despair over the government’s botched changes to their service, which is affecting the morale of staff and public safety,” he said.