A burgeoning rebellion against Ed Miliband's divisive plans to break Labour's trade union link will be stepped up today at a meeting of grassroots party members in London.

Talks on how to defend the link will dominate the agenda at the annual conference of the Labour Representation Committee (LRC).

The campaign group, chaired by John McDonnell MP, has warned that Mr Miliband's proposal could wreck Labour's general election campaign.

Speaking before the conference, LRC vice-chair Marhsajane Thomson described it as "completely unecessary."

She told the Star: "The relationship doesn't need to change in the way some people around Ed Miliband and Progress want it to.

"It gives the hostile media something to focus on rather than talking about the actual differences between the Labour Party and Conservative Party, like on the bedroom tax."

Under Mr Miliband's plan, three million members of affiliated trade unions will no longer be automatically be counted as Labour members and will have to join individually.

The LRC's conference statement argues that is "part of a drive to extend state funding of political parties, which we oppose."

Ms Thompson said her group is already busy co-ordinating opposition to ensure "trade unions are speaking with one voice."

Representatives of massive general union Unison, the Communication Workers Union and bakers' union BFAWU will all speak at today's meeting, alongside MPs Katy Clark and Jeremy Corbyn.

BFAWU president Ian Hodson was clear that a cut in the party's funding would leave wealthy donors with more influence.

He said: "Unions have become the targets when the dirty money isn't from the unions, it's from big business and wealthy individuals.

"If the union's money was causing Labour problems, it's not because they've been doing anything on our behalf.

"We've still got the most restrictive trade union laws in Europe.

And in a reality check to Labour leaders, Mr Hodson insisted few hard-pressed people could afford to pay £25 to join the party.

"They're not going to spend that on a Labour party membership rather than buy their child a pair of shoes," he said.

"It's not going to happen."