Thousands of civil servants in Kent are walking out today for the second time in a month - angry over plans to reduce redundancy pay.

Six thousand Public and Commercial Services union workers in the county have ensured their walkout coincides with the budget.

Members of the union walked out for 48 hours at the beginning of the month. Today’s walkout will last 24 hours.

Progress has been made since the last strike according to Nigel Buller, branch president of the South East England PCS Union: “I think we have been listened to by Members of Parliament. There are now currently 166 MPs, including local MP Gwyn Prosser, who have signed up to Early Day Motion 251, which calls upon the Government to re-think its strategy upon its workforce.”

Those walking out include members of the UK Border Agency at both Dover and the Channel Tunnel.

It is thought the travelling public will not be affected by the industrial action but our borders will not be protected in the same way they normally are.

Mr Buller said: “It will of course leave the borders open to whatever wants to come into the United Kingdom, that we deeply regret, but we have been forced into this position by the Government.”

Both the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel say they will be unaffected by the strike action.