by Conrad Landin and Peter Lazenby

“FRANCOIST” restrictions on trade unionists’ social media activity could be shelved — but unions have warned that workers must not give up the fight against the Tories’ draconian anti-union laws.

The potential climbdown comes as unions stage a day of action in protest at the Trade Union Bill.

The legislation sets out a requirement for workers to warn authorities of social media activity two weeks in advance, prompting fierce criticism from charities including Amnesty International and Liberty.

Tory MP and former shadow home secretary David Davis attacked the proposals, saying: “What is this? This isn’t Franco’s Britain, this is Queen Elizabeth II’s Britain.”

But the Financial Times reported that it was “almost certain” the restrictions on Twitter and Facebook activity would be dropped. “I doubt they will end up in our final plans,” a Whitehall source told the paper.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said the U-turn would be “welcome news” if true.

“Forcing unions to tell employers and police two weeks in advance what they plan to post on Facebook and Twitter is a huge threat to civil liberties,” she told the Star.

“However, even if these proposals are dropped, the government is still threatening the right to strike through the Trade Union Bill. Ministers are still planning on allowing employers to break strikes with agency workers and tying unions up in red tape.

“One concession doesn’t change the fact that this is the biggest attack on unions in over 30 years. We will continue to oppose the whole Bill each and every inch of the way.”

Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack said the Financial Times report was “a positive sign that the government cannot even convince Conservative backbench MPs” to back the Bill’s most “ludicrous” provisions.

“They now need to recognise the other draconian aspects of the Bill, which will make it almost impossible for trade unions to represent their members,” he said.

Workers are set to protest in London’s Parliament Square at 5pm in advance of a mass lobby of Parliament called by the TUC for November 2.

Unions representing bakers, firefighters, probation officers, journalists, teachers, civil servants, prison officers, railway staff and lorry drivers issued a statement pressing for the TUC to carry out its pledge of “generalised” strike action to defeat the Bill.