Minister defends "pragmatic" change of mind on workers rights

A senior UK government minister has stepped forward to defend what critics are calling a major U-turn on workers’ rights, insisting the decision to scale back Labour’s flagship pledge of day-one unfair-dismissal protection is a “pragmatic and responsible adjustment” designed to ensure the passage of the wider Employment Rights Bill without jeopardising business confidence or economic stability. Ministers argue that moving the proposal to a six-month qualifying period, rather than immediate protection, is still a significant improvement on the current two-year threshold and strikes a workable balance between boosting employee security and maintaining employer flexibility in recruitment. They emphasise that the core package still delivers a historic upgrade to workers’ rights, including day-one sick pay, enhanced parental leave, limits on zero-hours contracts, stronger collective bargaining provisions, and new rules to tackle exploitative workplace practices. According to government sources, business groups had raised serious concerns that instant dismissal protection could discourage hiring during a period of fragile economic recovery, prompting Labour to revise its approach while insisting it remains committed to raising employment standards across the UK.

Ministers such as Bridget Phillipson and Peter Kyle have also rejected claims of betrayal from Labour backbenchers and trade unions, arguing that governing requires compromise and that it is better to deliver “transformational but workable reforms” than cling to symbolic pledges that risk legislative deadlock. They maintain that the overall bill still represents one of the most ambitious modernisations of employment law in decades and will provide greater fairness, stability, and protection for millions of British workers while supporting long-term productivity and growth — positioning the policy shift not as a retreat, but as a practical step to ensure Labour’s broader mission for a fairer economy is achieved.