Angela Rayner, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, has urged her fellow Members of Parliament (MPs) to hold the line. She rounds off by encouraging Labour members to support Labour’s flagship Employment Rights Bill. She was powerful and emotional on the subject. Now is not the time to back down or cave in,” she told peers, as the legislation was sent back through yet another round of scrutiny from the House of Lords.
Rayner has been vocally pushing for change. Yet her Employment Rights Bill, introduced only 100 days after Labour’s accession to power, is already being delayed and amended. She expressed her disappointment at the various compromises that passed for the bill on its path through Parliament. She recounted ultimatum-style that the bill is “pro-business and pro-worker.”
The Employment Rights Bill would significantly improve workers’ protections against unfair dismissal and transform the quality of employment across the board. Rayner highlighted a critical aspect of the bill, stating it seeks to “end the unfair market competition in which some firms seek to beat their competitors not by better quality or increased value, but by cutting the pay and conditions of their workforce.”
Despite the importance of this bill, it’s currently under attack. Conservative shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith accused Rayner of trying to “politicise” the issue. He too bashed the legislation, arguing that it’s detrimental to job creation. He dubbed it “the warrant for a war on jobs.” He cautioned that thousands of youth would have a more difficult time finding meaningful opportunities due to the changes being called for in the bill.
Her response Cdn Schooner Business Minister Kate Dearden shoring up the legislation against charges. She boldly claimed that it’s “pro-growth” and good for employers and workers, thereby developing a more competitive British economy.
Peers returned the bill a third time. Their proposed amendments underline the real dispute over its mechanisms and the battle over its provisions that remains. Rayner acknowledged these challenges but remained steadfast in her belief that “its passage will be a historic achievement for this Labour government.” She urged MPs to resist further delays, stating, “The Lords cannot keep coming back because they don’t like what is in this bill, because this is a promise that we made to the British people, and we have to deliver on it.”
In response to recent developments, Business Secretary Peter Kyle announced a controversial U-turn regarding the right to claim unfair dismissal. Rayner says it’s important to revise the claim period. The amended provisions now permit claims to be filed from the first day of employment through six months.
Former Labour business minister, Justin Madders, has expressed his dismay at the watering down of the manifesto commitments. He gave Rayner mad props for successfully getting around the legislative logjam. In his remarks, he applauded her doggedness in pursuing common ground even when she faced formidable obstacles.
Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat business spokeswoman, said she was appalled. She argued that the late change to unfair dismissal compensation was one such issue which had been unfairly “snuck in.” Her objections serve to underscore the larger discussion taking place regarding the expansion of worker protections and increased responsibilities placed upon employers.
As the Employment Rights Bill makes its way through Parliament, Angela Rayner is more determined than ever to make sure it becomes law. She concluded her remarks with a call for unity among MPs: “Let us not waste a minute more – it is time to deliver.”