LABOUR MP Ian Lavery reiterated calls to overturn the 2016 Trade Union Act today as a new parliamentary petition demanding its repeal garnered hundreds of signatures.

The petition, set up by Welsh Labour member Jack Meredith, warns that the Tory legislation “restricts the actions and powers of unions with the implementation of an arbitrary turnout threshold” of 50 per cent to make a strike legitimate.

It points out that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 43.6 per cent vote share at the 2019 general election was far below the same threshold despite his boasts of a landslide victory.

Mr Lavery, who served as Labour chairman under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, told the Morning Star: “Trade unions should not be restricted on how they most effectively represent their members.

“The role of a union is representation at all levels. The government see their role as beating union members into submission with a constant attack on union liberties.”

The petition, which the government will be forced to respond to if it reaches 10,000 signatures, can be found at: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/596976