Hundreds of council workers joined shadow chancellor John McDonnell as they went on strike across Barnet.

UNISON members in the borough who work for the local authority formed picket lines as they begun their 24 hour strike.

Starting at 5am at the Mill Hill depot, in Bittacy Hill, workers have also been striking outside Barnet House and East Finchley Library against privatisation of services and loss of jobs.

“Council workers are in the frontline of austerity politics which is driving the outsourcing agenda” said John Burgess, UNISON branch secretary.

Following a report by Barnet council which proposes staff will be axed by 46 per cent at libraries, from 114 to 62 full time workers.

Fears have also been raised surrounding the privatisation of social and adult care workers and other services.

The Shadow Chancellor, who was at the Mill Hill Picket, said: "I have been a long term supporter of John Burgess & Barnet UNISON and the community campaign that has shown remarkable fighting spirit in the face of a relentless attack from the hard right in control of Barnet Council.

Under Jeremy, people can see that there is a real alternative to austerity which is why I am fully behind Barnet UNISON members taking strike action.”

David Hambly, who has worked in adult social care for Barnet council for 20 years said he would look for a jobs at another local authority if the council decided to privatise.

He said: “We want to remain workers of the council – I did not come into this job to work for a private company, we want to work in the public sector and put the public’s needs first.”

Mr Burgess, who claimed that more than 770 members were on strike today, slammed the library plans set out by the council.

He said: “I am dismayed that so many loyal hard working Library workers are to be sacked in the name of progress. In a few weeks’ time 335 catering workers are expecting to hear news that they are likely to be handed over to private contractor ISS, without any guarantee they will continue to be paid the London Living Wage (LLW).”

Councillor Reuben Thompstone, Conservative chairman of the children, education, libraries and safeguarding (CELS) committee, said: “The new recommendation would see us maintain the same number of libraries - 14 - as well as keep the home, mobile and digital services.

“As a number of councils across the country are closing libraries as part of the need to save money I am pleased that Barnet’s proposals will maintain the same number of sites.