Fact Service May 2011

Issue 18

Strike action move falls

A 10-minute rule Bill to "prohibit strike action in the emergency and transport service sectors unless a majority of employees in the unionised workforce has voted in favour of such action", was introduced by the Conservative MP for Esher and Walton, Dominic Raab at the end of April.

It was defeated by 171 votes to 121 with some of the coalition's Lib Dem MPs voting against the Bill.

Tony Lloyd, Labour MP for Manchester Central, opposing the Bill, reminded MPs of the 1980s, when “rather bizarre ideas” were presented by Tory backbenchers in such 10-minute rule Bills.

“We dismissed them and laughed at them as the fancies of the rabid right-wing of the Conservative Party,” he said. “But the problem was that quickly afterwards those ideas were translated by those on the front bench into government policies.”

Watch this space

www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110426/debtext/110426-0002.htm#11042632000002