Angela Rayner pledges that Labour will strengthen the right to strike within 100 days of taking office

• Angela Rayner vowed to tear up anti-strike laws brought in by the Tories 

The right to strike will be strengthened within 100 days of Labour taking office, deputy leader Angela Rayner said yesterday.

She was cheered at the conference as she vowed to tear up anti-strike laws brought in by the Tories to limit the power of unions.

Ms Rayner dismissed reports Labour’s plans to boost workers’ rights would be ‘watered down’, saying: ‘We’ll ensure that unions can stand up for their members.

‘We will boost collective bargaining, to improve workers’ pay, terms and conditions. Make no mistake, this is an agenda that we will deliver hand in hand with the trade union movement.’

She also pledged ‘family-friendly’ reforms, including a ‘right to switch off’ that will prevent managers from contacting staff outside of working hours.

The right to strike will be strengthened within 100 days of Labour taking office, deputy leader Angela Rayner said. She is pictured at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Sunday

Ms Rayner was cheered at the conference as she vowed to tear up anti-strike laws brought in by the Tories to limit the power of unions. Pictured: Members BECTU striking in Leicester Square, London last week

And new workers will be given ‘basic rights’ from day one of their employment. Matthew Percival, of the Confederation of British Industry, warned ‘poorly targeted’ changes could damage the country’s competitiveness.

He said employers supported flexible working, but added: ‘Legislative changes around day one rights, while well intentioned, will make it impossible for firms to have probationary periods.’

Ms Rayner also pledged to boost house building and ‘deliver the biggest boost in affordable and social housing for a generation’.

Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would build 1.5million new homes over the next Parliament – equivalent to 300,000 a year.

However, Tory sources pointed out that Labour peers recently blocked plans to relax EU environmental rules that would have allowed the construction of an extra 100,000 homes.

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