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David Cameron’s cynical attack on trade unions may be illegal, his own human rights watchdog is warning.

In a devastating verdict, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) accused the PM of trying to impose “potentially unlawful restrictions” on the right to strike.

The ruling by the Government watchdog piles fresh pressure on peers to block the measures in the controversial Trade Union Bill when it returns to the House of Lords on Monday afternoon.

EHRC member Lorna McGregor said: “As it stands, the Trade Union Bill is in danger of imposing potentially unlawful restrictions on everyone’s basic human right to strike.

“Joining a trade union and peacefully picketing outside workplaces is a right not a privilege and restrictions have to be properly justified and proportionate.”

The Bill will introduce new thresholds to make it harder for unions to organise strikes.

The ban on firms bringing in agency workers as strike-breakers will be scrapped and strike leaders may be forced to wear special armbands and give their details to the police.

But the commission highlighted that Article 11 of the Human Rights Act gives everyone the right to form and join a union, and to protest peacefully.

“Some provisions in the Bill could contravene the UK’s obligations,” it said.

Labour and the trade unions said it was now time for the ‘vindictive’ Bill to be scrapped altogether.

Angela Eagle, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said: “This is yet more evidence that the Tory Trade Union Bill is not only divisive and partisan, but potentially legally unsound.

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“The Tories should take heed of the damming verdict from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and it should be the final nail in the coffin for this atrocious Bill.

Unite general-secretary Len McCluskey added: “Yet another government body feels that it has to speak out against a Bill already decried as spiteful, needless and unworkable by managers and former ministers.

“This is mindless anti-worker legislation that nobody wants or sees a case for - apart from the Tories. The Nasty Party never went away.

“Their mission now is to make UK workers the among least protected in the western world.

“The Lords should do the decent thing and sling this bill where it belongs. In the bin.”

(Image: PA)

TUC chief Frances O’Grady said: “This Bill isn’t about how many people vote in a strike ballot. It’s about the government’s real plan: taking power away from workers and giving it to the bosses.

“People aren’t stupid. They know who this Bill is really for.”

But the concerns were dismissed by Tory Ministers who made clear they will press ahead with the attack on workers’ rights.

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Employment Minister Nick Boles said: “We completely disagree with the conclusions reached by the EHRC.

“There is a notable lack of analysis in the report to support the conclusions they have come to.

“We have carefully considered all of the legal issues throughout the passage of the Bill and are completely satisfied that we are compliant with our international obligations.”