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John McDonnell backs changes to strike laws which could see Britain 'return to '70s chaos'

Labour's Finance Spokesman John McDonnell  - Bloomberg
Labour's Finance Spokesman John McDonnell - Bloomberg

John McDonnell has backed changes to strike laws which Conservative MPs warn could take Britain back to the 1970s.  

A video has emerged showing the Shadow Chancellor backing a manifesto of a group aiming to overhaul the UK’s strike rules to make it easier for employees to cause industrial chaos. The Institute for Employment Rights, which wants to repeal all trade union laws, would see a return to "secondary picketing". 

This would mean current laws which limit strike action to one’s own employer and one’s own workplace would be scrapped, making large and disruptive industrial strikes easier to organise.

The plans were labelled as disastrous by Conservatives, with the MP for Dover saying: "The days of secondary picketing took Britain to the brink before these outdated practices were outlawed.

For Labour to bring back militant trade unionism and a culture of strikes would damage the economy and result in people losing their jobs." 

Last month Mr McDonnell reiterated his support for the IER’s manifesto, and spoke on how the its recommendations had helped to shape Labour policy. 

It is feared that Labour’s desire to scrap vital laws would usher in a new age of industrial unrest, raising the risk of inconveniences such as uncollected bins and rubbish piled in the streets as a result of workers going on strike.

It is expected that the Labour Party Conference will give a platform to ultra left wing lawyer John Hendy, who has previously advocated repealing all trade union laws.

Mr Hendy, who is chair of the Institute for Employment Rights will speak after McDonnell’s speech at the Conference tomorrow. 

Earlier this month, McDonnell said Hendy’s ideas would be a blueprint for Labour policy.