A Labour government would repeal further strike restrictions brought in by the Conservatives, Sir Keir Starmer promised this morning.

Speaking after his first major speech of 2023 this morning, the Labour leader said: “I do not think that legislation is the way that you bring an end to industrial disputes.”

A Times report earlier claimed that the prime minister was set to announce legislation to enforce “minimum service levels” in six sectors, including education, as early as today. 

Asked about the issue after his speech this morning, Sir Keir said: “Frankly, the government is all over the show on this.

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“Every day there is a different briefing as to whether there is going to be legislation, what it is going to be and when it is going to come.”

Sir Keir said he thought the “reason” for the different briefings was because “I don’t think this legislation is going to work....and I am pretty sure [the government] have had an assessment that tells them that it is likely to make a bad situation worse”.

Strike restrictions ‘would be repealed’

He added: “Obviously, we will look at what they bring forward, but if it is further restrictions then we would repeal it and the reason for that is I do not think that legislation is the way that you bring an end to industrial disputes.”

Instead, Sir Keir said “you have to get in the room and compromise”.

The NEU and NASUWT teaching unions, and the NAHT school leaders’ union, are currently balloting members at schools in England over strike action on pay, with ballots set to close next week.

And in the first consultative ballot on strike action in its history (which closed last month) the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) asked members “whether they would support moving to a formal ballot on strike action or action short of a strike”.

In England 54 per cent of eligible members voted in the ASCL online consultative ballot, meaning that the number of members who cast their vote crossed the threshold that would be needed for a valid formal ballot result. The results of the ballot are expected this week.

When asked about the government introducing further restrictions on strikes, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said he had “not seen these proposals” but they show the “government’s priorities lie firmly in the wrong place”.

He said schools need “sufficient funding and action over teacher shortages” but “instead they get anti-union sabre-rattling, a punitive inspection system and vague aspirations such as extending maths teaching up to the age of 18 without firm details of how these can be achieved”.

Yesterday sector leaders said they were disappointed after prime minister Rishi Sunak set out five priorities he promised to deliver this year, which included nothing on schools or education.

Mr Sunak did set out a plan to ensure that all pupils in England study some form of maths until age 18, but this was dismissed as “half-baked” and “piecemeal” by school and education policy leaders.

Green light over legal action

Last month the High Court gave school staff unions the green light to pursue legal action against the government over new laws allowing agency workers to cover for those on strike.

The legal challenge was brought by 11 trade unions, including the NEU, against legislation put forward over the summer.

The challenge will be made alongside separate legal cases brought by Unison, which represents school support staff, and the NASUWT against the government’s agency worker regulations.