David Cameron is preparing to unveil new legislation that would toughen up laws on strike action, by imposing minimum turnouts on ballots and a time limit on industrial action mandates.
Nick Boles, Conservative minister for skills and equalities, announced the aims on Wednesday, telling BBC Radio 4: "All we are trying to do is strike a reasonable and fair balance between the interests of trade unions and the interest of the people who are trying to get to work on time."
The senior Tory MP revealed plans to implement a 40% turnout threshold on a strike affecting "core" public services, and a 50% one for the ballots to be valid at all.
Currently, unions simply need a majority of members to support a striking for action to be initiated.
The change has divided opinion, and critics have pointed to the fact that if such thresholds applied to the general election, many Tories and indeed previous Tory governments would not have come to power.
In light of that, we've compiled the top five times today's vote threshold announcement would have blocked an election win for the party.
