Trade Union Bill concessions by UK Government may include online voting

A review on whether to allow online voting in trade union ballots is expected to be part of a series of concessions on the controversial Trade Union Bill considered today, as the legislation returns to the House of Commons.

A series of defeats in the Lords last month saw the plans to curb trade union powers stumble, and today MPs will consider amendments.

One is thought to require Business Secretary Sajid Javid to commission a review and consult experts before laying out a strategy for e-voting in union ballots.

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Javid may also water down plans to require Labour-affiliated union members to opt in to paying their annual union levy - a change Labour says could cost it £6m. 

Although the Conservatives are not withdrawing the change entirely, they are expected to give unions a year to implement the reforms, rather than the three months they had initially proposed. 

It is thought ministers have been willing to accept changes to the bill in order to help secure the support of trade unions in the upcoming EU referendum, where the votes of Labour supporters will be crucial to the outcome.