NICOLA Sturgeon has accused the Tories of using the same notorious "wrecking mechanism" that denied Scots devolution in 1979 to erode workers' rights.

 

The First Minister said David Cameron wanted to "rig the rules" on strikes by imposing an "iniquitous 40 per cent threshold" to thwart industrial action in the public sector.

The Tories plan to make strike action in key public services illegal unless it is backed by 40 per cent of all those eligible to vote, compared to the backing of a simple majority at present.

The same threshold was used in the 1979 referendum on a Scottish Assembly - although the Yes side got 51.6 of the vote, it was not enough overall, and so the No side won by default.

The 40 per cent rule was the idea of a backbench Labour MP, George Cunningham, who opposed home rule and wanted to stack the odds against it.

Addressing the SNP Trade Union Group in Stirling, Sturgeon said: "The SNP oppose the Tory scheme to make public sector industrial action illegal unless it meets an iniquitous 40 per cent threshold of all those eligible to vote.

"This was the very wrecking mechanism that cheated Scotland out of devolution in 1979, and subjected us to 18 years of the Tories imposing their unwanted policies on Scotland.

"Under a 40 per cent rule, David Cameron wouldn't have been elected Tory party leader, 270 Tory MPs wouldn't have been elected last month - and Tory Government would be invalid.

"David Cameron can't have it both ways - if he wants to rig the rules for others, he should apply the same standards to himself. The SNP will oppose this and other unfair Tory policies, as we pursue a progressive agenda for the benefit of Scotland and the whole UK."

Sturgeon offered her support to the thousands who gathered yesterday in Glasgow's George Square for an anti-austerity rally organised by the STUC, and said the SNP had now replaced Labour as the party for Scotland's working people.

"In all senses, the SNP are now the national party of Scotland - including the working people of Scotland. This growth...reflects the hard work and deep commitment of SNP trade union members on issues such as fair work, the Living Wage, gender equality, asylum, zero hours contracts and opposition to cuts. The key to making progress on these issues is to have the necessary power in Scotland - not leave it in the hands of Tories at Westminster."

The trade union group within the SNP had 800 members at the referendum. It now has almost 16,000, more than Scottish Labour, which has 15,500.

Tory economy spokesman Murdo Fraser said: "Nicola Sturgeon appears to be historically confused - the 40 per cent rule in 1979 was the invention of a Labour MP.

"Many hard-working families who value public services in education, health and local government don't wish to see them disrupted by strike action by a small minority of union members."