THE government’s anti-strikes Bill has been condemned by more than 100 politicians from around the world today who have urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to drop the legislation.

The Conservatives’ Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill is moving to the report stage in the House of Lords on Wednesday.

The worldwide condemnation has followed after the Tories have attempted to justify the legislation by claiming they are emulating other countries such as France, Italy and Spain.

But those countries have slammed the comparison in the statement, which has been signed by 121 politicians from 18 countries.

The politicians include signatories from governing parties like the Australian Labor Party and Spain’s coalition government parties PSOE and Unidas Podemos, as well as former Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte alongside other important former ministers.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Over 100 politicians around the world have condemned this Bill. They know it will only drag the UK even further away from democratic norms.

“The UK already has some of the most restrictive anti-union laws in Europe.

“This legislation would mean that when workers democratically vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t comply.

“The right to strike is a fundamental freedom — but the Conservative government is attacking it in broad daylight.

“It’s undemocratic, unworkable and almost certainly illegal.

“And crucially, it could poison industrial relations and exacerbate disputes rather than help resolve them.

“No-one should be sacked for defending their pay and conditions, and trying to win a better deal at work.

“It’s time for ministers to drop this spiteful Bill and protect the right to strike.”

The joint statement slams the attempts to justify the draconian legislation and rejects the comparisons with some European countries.

The politicians highlighted how Britain is an outlier in the democratic world and rejects the international comparisons.

“We reject the UK government’s attempt to limit workers’ rights and its attempt to justify it with comparisons to international norms,” the statement says.

“The UK already has some of the most draconian restrictions on trade unions anywhere in the democratic world and workers are faced with disproportionate regulatory hurdles before participation in a strike can be considered legal.

“Despite this, the UK government is set on further rolling back worker protections and freedoms.

“The right to strike is guaranteed in international law by a succession of important treaties.

“The ability for people to collectively withdraw their labour is a fundamental right in a democratic society.

“We support the Trades Union Congress in calling on the UK government to abandon this Bill.”

Earlier this year, European unions representing more than 20 million workers also warned that the strikes Bill would drag Britain further away from democratic norms.

The Bill has also faced criticism from civil liberties organisations, the joint committee on human rights, the House of Lords delegated powers and regulatory reform committee, race and gender equalities groups, employment rights lawyers and other organisations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission also advised Parliament last month that the legislation could see all striking workers in affected sectors losing their unfair dismissal protection as whole strikes could be deemed illegal.

The equalities body also advised that the Bill raises several human rights considerations, specifically in relation to Article 4 (prohibition of slavery and forced labour), Article 11 (freedom of assembly and association) and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights.