Tories talk out Onn’s bill to protect workers’ rights after Brexit

Melanie Onn’s bill to protect workers’ rights post-Brexit fell victim to filibustering in the House today.

Onn, the MP for Great Grimsby, saw Tory MPs speak for four hours on a preceding unopposed bill to ensure that her bill wasn’t voted on.

At a launch event on Wednesday, where she was joined by Keir Starmer, Tracy Brabin and Dan Jarvis amongst others, veteran MP Dennis Skinner warned that this was likely to happen. 

She said: “My bill would go no further than what Theresa May and David Davis promised last year- to ensure that the rights currently afforded to British workers are maintained after Brexit.”

“By talking out the bill, the Tories have shown their true colours. They say that maternity pay, parental leave, and paid leave are all safe in their hands.”

“But when given the opportunity to put their money where their mouths are, they instead blocked the protection of those rights in UK law, and have let down working people.”

She later tweeted:

Tories spoke for 4+ hours on unopposed Bill 2 stop me talking about protections 4 all workers, my Bill only put on paper the PMs promises

— Melanie Onn MP (@OnnMel) January 13, 2017