🔗 Share this article

Keir Starmer is facing rebellion from MPs after ministers abandoned plans to give workers immediate safeguards against wrongful termination, a U-turn that breaches the campaign commitments.

MPs Voice Concerns

Lawmakers featuring a former minister who spearheaded the employment rights bill have voiced concerns over the climbdown revealed by the administration.

Ministers have axed the proposal to remove the 24-month "qualifying period" for workers to submit unfair firing complaints and permit them to act from the first day in a new job, to facilitate passing the bill through lawmakers.

Legislative Deadlock

The proposal found itself in a dispute involving peers and MPs over the original plan to provide employee safeguards from the start, as well as measures to outlaw predatory flexible hour arrangements.

The government now intends to implement the entitlement concerning unjust firing post six-month work period instead, although additional first-day entitlements to parental leave and sick pay remain scheduled to go ahead, coming into effect in April 2026.

Resistance and Disapproval

The Labour MP for the Teesside area characterized the decision as a "utter breach of trust" and pledged to advocate for its reversal.

"We must oppose that compromise solution."

"This represents misguided policy and I plan to fight to have this concession reversed."

Another Labour MP expressed frustration regarding insufficient discussion, remarking: "There has been no discussion with the PLP. Peers shouldn't override concerning campaign pledges, so why have we capitulated??"

Extended Ramifications

A third Labour MP commented: "Employers have nothing to fear from day-one rights, but workers have everything to fear from companies who resists first-day entitlements."

The previous work and pensions official confirmed that the decision "undoubtedly constitutes a pledge violation."

Government Justification

The education secretary stated remained a "substantial likelihood" the enactment of the worker protection legislation would have been delayed without the cabinet's decision regarding a U-turn over first-day rights against unjust firing.

"Dialogue has taken place on the point around unjust firing and the duration requirement with employers, trade unions and government, and subsequent to that dialogue understanding has been reached concerning future direction, which is welcome."

The secretary highlighted that "This indicates the time limit will come down from 24 months to half a year, and this accompanies significant first-day entitlements concerning illness compensation and around parental leave."

"But the risk here was without forward movement, those significant entitlements might not be implemented starting spring 2026."

Upon being asked regarding whether it amounted to a broken promise, the secretary answered: "In the manifesto, the promise indicated was that we would work with labor organizations, with business, with community groups, in consulting on such entitlements that we'd be bringing forward."

"So, there are both parts to that, throughout the campaign document, the crucial protections and the dialogue."