Sir Nicholas co-signed this letter with 49 other Conservative Members of Parliament which appeared in the Sunday Telegraph on the 15th January. 

SIR - Recent strikes on critical public infrastructure have dealt a blow to the economy and caused widespread misery. For seven months now, 300,000 passengers using Southern Rail have been frequently unable to get to work due to official and unofficial strikes. People have had to quit their jobs as a result.

In this dispute, no one is losing their job or any pay. The rail regulator confirms there is no safety issue. The dispute is about who presses the button to open the doors.

It is not fair that such wide-scale disruption can be caused on so flimsy a pretext. New legislation is needed to require strike action on public infrastructure to be "reasonable and proportionate" in the eyes of a High Court judge. There should also be a requirement for a skeleton service to still run on strike days.

We fully respect the right to strike. But this right must now be balanced with the right of the wider public to get to work and get home to see loved ones.

Chris Philp MP, The Rt. Hon. Sir Nicholas Soames MP, The Rt. Hon. Nick Herbert MP +47 others.