Employment Rights Bill

The Government opened the debate by outlining the key provisions of the Employment Rights Bill, which they described as the "biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation." The Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, declared that the Bill would extend employment protections to millions more workers, banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, ending the practice of "fire and rehire," and providing new rights such as statutory sick pay from the first day of employment. In response, the shadow Business Secretary, Kevin Hollinrake, moved a reasoned amendment to decline the Bill's Second Reading. He argued that the measures would impose excessive costs on businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, deterring them from hiring new staff and stifling economic growth. The Conservatives claimed the Bill was rushed, lacked proper consultation, and would empower trade unions at the expense of employers. The wide-ranging debate that followed saw strong support for the Bill from Labour and other opposition MPs. They welcomed provisions to tackle insecure work, strengthen maternity and paternity rights, and improve pay and conditions in sectors like social care. Several maiden speeches from new Labour MPs highlighted the positive impact the reforms would have in their constituencies. However, Conservative members continued to voice concerns about the Bill's impact on businesses, predicting it would lead to more strikes, higher costs, and reduced investment. They accused the Government of being in the pocket of trade union donors. The debate touched on a variety of topics, including flexible working, statutory sick pay, collective bargaining, and the role of trade unions in the workplace. Ultimately, the House voted to give the Bill a Second Reading by 386 votes to 105, rejecting the opposition's amendment. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, concluded the debate by defending the Bill as a pragmatic, evidence-based measure that would benefit both workers and employers by promoting a more productive economy.