Roseanna Cunningham attacks UK strike law plan

Roseanna Cunningham has said that Westminster's plans would be an 'interference' in devolved government. Picture: Hemedia

Scotland’s cabinet secretary for fair work Roseanna Cunningham told MPs that a plan by UK ministers to restrict public sector strikes was unnecessary north of the border and would be an “interference” in devolved government.

The Conservative government’s controversial trade union bill would that mean a simple majority vote for a strike in the public sector would no longer make such action legal, with 40 per cent of those eligible to vote having to back it instead.

Ms Cunningham, speaking at Westminster’s trade union bill committee yesterday, to examine the legislation, said that she “would prefer it if the bill did not apply to Scotland”.

The SNP minister said the Scottish Government had a “different relationship” with unions to Westminster and suggested that the UK-wide restrictions would impact on key devolved policy areas like health and education.