Ex-staff will gather in Westminster from 11am before handing over two petitions signed by more than 60,000 people.

The first, with more than 50,000 signatures, is addressed to Downing Street and calls for a full inquiry into Cook’s collapse and demands the company’s directors pay back their bonuses.

The second, signed by more than 10,000 people, will be delivered to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy calling on business secretary Andrea Leadsom to personally intervene and ensure workers receive their unpaid wages in full.

According to the Unite union, which is supporting the day of action, many workers did not receive their monthly pay on Monday (30 September) leaving them unable to pay rent, mortgage payments and in some cases, even afford food.

Abta LifeLine is offering Cook staff emergency supermarket vouchers to tide them over.

‘An explanation is the very least Cook workers deserve’

Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: “Unite is pleased to be supporting the lobby and protest in parliament that has been organised by Thomas Cook workers who lost their jobs without warning.

“The fact workers are coming to parliament from all parts of the UK demonstrates just how angry workers are with the government, which they rightly believe has abandoned them.

“This week workers have been left with no income as their wages were not paid. Workers do not understand how the profitable Thomas Cook airline was allowed to collapse while the European subsidiaries were able to continue to fly.

“The very least the Thomas Cook workers deserve is to receive an answer to the question as to why the company was allowed to collapse as well an explanation from the government as to its lack of action in the lead-up.”