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JUSTICE Secretary Chris Grayling has sought to woo voters tempted to back Ukip in next year’s general election by raising the spectre of 1970s-style trade union disruption if Ed Miliband wins the keys to Downing St.

Mr Grayling appealed to “some of those older generation voters who might to tempted to vote for Ukip” and warned them of what happened “the last time that we had a trade union-dominated Labour Government”.

He said: “So I think there are big warnings for this country about what happened before, about the disaster that unfolded under Gordon Brown, about the policies we managed to see-off in the 1980s and the policies we actually experienced in the 1970s.”

Mr Grayling claimed the Unite trade union had pushed Labour into making commitments which would result in £166bn more borrowing, the equivalent of £5,500 for every taxpayer.

He said: “[My] message to those people who might be tempted to vote Ukip is that I’m afraid that a substantial vote for Ukip next year is most likely to lead to a Labour Government... If you don’t want to go back to what you’ve experienced in the past under a Labour Government dominated by trade unions, the one thing you cannot do next year is vote for anybody else other than the Conservative party.”

Attacking the influence of Unite, led by general secretary Len McCluskey, he said: “Len McCluskey and his colleagues made Ed Miliband leader. Now they want to make him prime minister and they are putting their money where their mouth is – 74% of the money funding Labour today comes from the unions.”

Mr McCluskey shot back: “Even by their own standards of rank hypocrisy, the Tories are today setting a new benchmark for double standards... Trade union funding is totally transparent and is overseen by two independent statutory bodies.

“Compare this to the Tories who fill their coffers with millions of pounds from nameless individuals who use smoke and mirrors to hide their identities.”

He added: “This country is crying out for a Government that will deal with the huge crisis in the NHS, that has the answers to the poverty pay that is afflicting hundreds of thousands of families across the country, that can tackle the misery for millions in housing need.”

Shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith said: “This is yet another desperate ploy from the Tories, who are waking up to the fact that they are losing the argument on the future of Britain and resorting to a misjudged smear campaign as a result. The Labour party is proud of the fact that the largest section of our funding comes from ordinary women and men – unlike the Tories who rely on huge donations from hedge funds.

“Over the course of the summer the Labour party is setting out plans for delivering greater prosperity and fairness for all – including polices such as lowering the starting rate of tax, strengthening the minimum wage, scraping the tax cut for millionaires and freezing energy bills. In stark contrast, the Tories are spending their time on groundless mudslinging.

“I have no doubt that people in Wales will see through this cynical nonsenses and recognise the truth, which is that ordinary families are on average £1,600 a year worse off under a UK Tory Government. We face an important choice at the 2015 election, between another five years of David Cameron failing to deliver for working people and standing up for a privileged few or a positive Labour vision where we build a Britain which works for the people of Wales once again.”

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said: “Chris Grayling is simply trying to divert attention away from the problems created by his own Government. We see our NHS strained to breaking point. Working people struggling to make ends meet because average wages after inflation have fallen by more than £1,600 since the election. And, despite the Tories claims of an economic recovery, more than 913,000 people including 330,000 children are forced to rely on food banks.”

Labour said the £166bn figure was based on “false assumptions” and had “unravelled”.