Union barons would be free to inflict crippling strikes on the public even if less than half of workers vote on proposed walkouts, under possible government plans.

Ministers are locked in 'ongoing discussions' about lowering the legal threshold for the percentage of workers who must vote in favour of strikes for them to be legal, it emerged yesterday.

The move would involve repealing part or all of the Trade Union Act 2016, which states that strikes can only go ahead if 40 per cent of members approve on a turnout of 50 per cent.

The law was introduced under David Cameron to stop hard-Left union bosses holding the country to ransom with strikes only voted for by a fraction of members. 

But Labour sources yesterday said it was the Government's 'intention' to repeal the 2016 Act.

One insider added: 'There are ongoing discussions about what it (the thresholds) could be lowered to and how that would work. No one is proposing scrapping them completely.'

The talks involve Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, a former trade union official, and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, with the former said to be pushing for a lower threshold.

The two-week notice period which unions must give for each strike is likely to remain in place.

The disclosure last night sparked fresh accusations that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government was caving in to its union 'paymasters' and that it risks plunging Britain back into 1970s-style levels of militancy.

It came after Ms Rayner and Mr Reynolds wrote to Government departments yesterday announcing plans to repeal separate anti-strike laws introduced under Rishi Sunak.

They said that a new Employment Rights Bill will quash the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 as part of a wider bid to 'reset industrial relations'. The legislation will be introduced after summer recess. 

Union bosses lined up to hail the move. But critics fear it will embolden the unions and effectively give a 'green light' to call crippling strikes across the NHS, schools, ambulance service, Border Force, rail and fire services if pay demands aren't met. 

Mr Sunak introduced the 2023 Act to force union bosses into providing a minimum level of services on strike days to limit their disruption to the public.

Kevin Hollinrake, the Tories' business spokesman, said: 'By surrendering to their union paymasters, Labour is showing who is really in charge. 

'Labour is placing access to emergency care and schools staying open at risk to appease the unions.' 

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'The unions are Labour's paymasters. 

'If we're not careful, we're heading towards all the lessons learned in the 1970s being reversed.' 

Labour has agreed to inflation busting pay hikes of 5.5 per cent for most public sector workers, at a cost of £9.4billion, and has offered junior doctors a 22 per cent increase. Train drivers could also be in line for a 10 per cent hike.

Ms Rayner and Mr Reynolds say officials should ignore the 2023 Act because it will soon be repealed by the Employment Rights Bill. 

Labour's manifesto contained no mention of repealing the Trade Union Act 2016, but pledged to 'strengthen the collective voice of workers, including through their trade unions'.

Mick Lynch, boss of the RMT rail union, said: 'We welcome this move as an opportunity to reset industrial relations in Britain.'