‘Labour’s new deal for working people will restore dignity and justice to work – but the Tories and Liberal Democrats are trying to wreck it’

The Labour Party was forged to protect working people. From the factories and workshops of the industrial age to the hospitals, schools and care homes of today, Labour has always stood for those whose labour sustains our nation.

Last year, the people of Britain voted for change. They chose a government that puts workers first, that believes work should pay and that promises a ‘New Deal for Working People’ – a bold commitment to fairness, dignity, and security for all.

READ MORE: ‘The employment rights bill is good for business – but local authorities must drive the delivery’

For too long, our economy has tilted in favour of the few, leaving ordinary families moving from payslip to payslip, from job to job, with little hope of progress. One broken-down car, one failed white good, one missed rent payment – and suddenly a household is in crisis. This is not merely inconvenience; it is the reality of life for millions, caught in a system that undervalues their work and their contribution. Labour knows this struggle, and Labour will act.

Within our first 100 days, we introduced the Employment Rights Bill – the most significant advance in workers’ rights for a generation. Strengthened sick pay; an end to exploitative zero-hours contracts; guaranteed flexible working; bereavement leave; protections against harassment; and the abolition of fire-and-rehire practices – all rights from day one. This is a Bill that says clearly: your work matters, your dignity matters, and your rights will be defended.

But time and time again, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have worked hand in hand in the House of Lords to water down the Employment Rights Bill, taking out key measures that would improve working people’s lives.

When the Employment Rights Bill came back to the Lords for more ‘ping pong’ this week the Conservatives dug in to scrap the new protections the Employment Rights Bill would create against being unfairly dismissed from your first day on the job. They want your boss to be able to sack you on a whim until you are six months in.

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And who was there to back them up? The Liberal Democrats. They also put down their own amendments to weaken the Bill’s new right for everyone to have a guaranteed hours contract, with a new “opt out” from being told your eligible for one. This opens up a huge loophole, letting bad bosses strong arm their staff into opting out – which the Conservatives happily voted for of course.

And as for Reform, they talk big about standing up for working people, but they’ve voted against the Employment Rights Bill at every opportunity. They have the chance to put their money where their mouth is, by joining me in the voting lobbies next week to take out these weakening amendments when the Bill returns to the Commons.

We cannot allow vested interests to water down the New Deal for Working People, whether that pressure comes from the Lords or from wherever else. This is not politics; this is principle. Labour stands with working people – always.

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Labour was built on the belief that work should provide security, opportunity, and dignity. This government honours that legacy. Our New Deal is a promise that work will be a source of hope not anxiety; that ordinary families will not be left vulnerable to the harshness of a cost-of-living crisis; and that every worker will have a voice, a right to protection, and a chance to get ahead.

Because Labour was formed to protect working people, and that is exactly what we will continue to do – with courage, conviction, and an unwavering commitment to fairness.

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