Boris Johnson stokes leadership talk with call for tough measures on union strike threats His call will revive memories of the then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher's battle with the miners during the 1984/5 strike, and the landmark anti-trade union legislation she introduced. His strategy for crushing the unions may be viewed with scepticism, however, given that bus drivers and London Underground workers threatening to strike during the Olympics were effectively bought off with bonuses. In the interview, Mr Johnson said that he had drawn up an eight-part plan for tackling union power in a bid to support Mr Cameron's drive to increase growth in the economy. As part of it, strikes would be made illegal unless at least half of union members took part in a ballot and voted in favour of industrial action. Key public workers including paramedics, fire-fighters and transport staff would be barred from talking part in all-out strikes and forced to maintain a basic service. Pickets would be stopped from intimidating workers who were reluctant to join them. Do you back a reform of strike laws? Speaking about the vote at last week's TUC conference in favour of a general strike, Mr Johnson said: "We're going through difficult economic times. People have got to be able to go about their business. It [a general strike] would be damaging to the economy, it's not in the interests of unions or their members and it is unlikely to carry much support. What we don't want to see as unions start to flex their muscles in the autumn is a return to the unfair and unnecessary strikes and ballots that put a terrific psychological burden on people who don't want to take strike action. There are hard-working people on London's transport system who are unnerved by what is going on. There are intimidating people who stop them getting to work, or a strike is called on the basis of a very small proportion of the relevant workforce. That is not fair on them or their families. People have a human right to withdraw their labour. But we have to think very carefully about how it is done and the effect on people who aren't in the ballot and suddenly find they're co-opted into a strike they don't support. Mr Johnson suggested that his anti-strike measures should be included in the blue-print for economic growth which ministers are in the process of drawing up. But No 10 is unlikely to be in the mood to heed the Mayor's call as those close to Mr Cameron become increasingly frustrated at his outspokenness. Mr Johnson has made strident attacks on the Prime Minister in the last two weeks over the Government's move to put the option of a third runway at Heathrow airport back on the table, while delaying a decision on the future of aviation in the capital until after the 2015 election. Is Boris Johnson a credible candidate to be Prime Minister? Last week, Mr Johnson was forced to laugh off reports that he had held a meeting with Zac Goldsmith, the anti-Heathrow expansion campaigner, where the Richmond MP offered to resign in order to trigger a by-election which the Mayor could then use as a vehicle to return to the Commons. It has now been reported that Mr Johnson "panicked" when the story emerged, declaring "I can't lie, I can't lie," when asked how he wanted to respond to press enquries about the meeting. Asked about suggestions that he was undermining Mr Cameron, the Mayor said: ""It is self-evident twaddle. As everybody remembers, I was one of the first in the tiny taxiful of supporters to back Cameron in 2005. He's a winner. He'll win an Election outright in 2015. I remain a big backer of his and I've got four years of hard work here in London. However, Mr Johnson's avowals of loyalty were undermined when he flatly declined to rule out a return to the Commons before the election. Speaking on BBC1's Andrew Marr show, Sir John urged Tory backbenchers to stop plotting on behalf of Mr Johnson and warned them that "disunity costs votes." He said: "Boris Johnson is an extremely able and attractive politician [but] Boris isn't in Parliament, Boris hasn't said he wishes to become prime minister, quite the reverse. There's nothing surprising about people being critical when times are tough. It's an inevitable part of politics. I just think that isn't the real world. David Cameron is Prime Minister, he's going to remain Prime Minister, he's going to contest the next election and I very much hope he wins it. I thought that if the Conservative Party has learned anything in the last 20 years it would have learned that regicide is not a good idea. Bookmaker William Hill has now made Mr Johnson the 3/1 favourite to replace Mr Cameron as Conservative leader. He is 5/1 to return to the Commons before the next general election.