Sir Keir Starmer is facing backbench anger as he is accused of breaching his manifesto with a U-turn on his workers’ rights legislation.
Ministers have axed the proposal in their Employment Rights Bill to give workers day-one protection against unfair dismissal.
York MP Rachael Maskell accused the prime minister of going back on the key pledge in Labour’s election manifesto and said: “Employers have nothing to fear from day one rights but workers will have every reason to fear if an employers does not want day one rights.”
The bill had been caught in a stand-off between peers and MPs over the original plan, and the government now intends to introduce the right after six months of service, instead of the current qualifying period of 24 months.
The concession, which comes after some businesses voiced concerns about potential costs and recruitment challenges, sparked an immediate backlash among some backbenchers and the Unite union.
Unite boss Sharon Graham said the bill had become “a shell of its former self” while TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the “absolute priority” was to get the legislation on to the statute books.
Key Points
- Labour MP says workers have ‘everything to fear’
- Labour MPs condemn Starmer's workers' rights U-turn
- Unions: Legislation 'a shell of its former self'
- Ministers deny manifesto breach
- What have Labour U-turned on?
Full story: Starmer accused of ‘complete betrayal’ by Labour backbenchers after workers’ rights U-turn
10:09 , Athena Stavrou
Starmer accused of ‘betrayal’ by Labour MPs after workers’ rights U-turn
McDonnell brands U-turn a 'sellout'
09:49 , Athena StavrouFormer shadow chancellor John McDonnell has branded the government’s workers’ rights U-turn a “sell out”.
He wrote on X: “Is this a sellout? Yes it certainly is. If it’s unfair to sack someone, it’s unfair whenever it occurs whether it’s day one or after 6 months. The principle is fairness.”
Is this a sellout? Yes it certainly is. If it’s unfair to sack someone, it’s unfair whenever it occurs whether it’s day one or after 6 months. The principle is fairness. https://t.co/i7XOEgdgwH
— John McDonnell (@johnmcdonnellMP) November 27, 2025
Labour MP Leishman condemns employment rights change as ‘totally unacceptable’
09:30 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Labour MP Leishman condemns employment rights change as ‘totally unacceptable’Labour MP Brian Leishman told The Independent the move was “a broken promise.
Totally unacceptable.”It comes just a day after Mr Leishman, previously a serial rebel, praised the Labour government over the Budget.
At the time he described it as “a real Labour budget”.
Workers will have 'every reason to fear' after U-turn, Maskell says
09:16 , Athena StavrouYork MP Rachael Maskell accused the prime minister of going back on a key pledge in Labour’s election manifesto.
Her opposition to the U turn - prompted by an attempt to derail the new employment laws in the House of Lords - could signal trouble for the Government.
Ms Maskell was one of 47 Labour MPs who rebelled against proposed welfare curbs in July, forcing Downing St to back down.
She was suspended as a Labour MP as a result - and had the Party whip restored just three weeks ago.
Ms Maskell said: “I stood on a manifesto where we said we would put day one rights in place and that did include unfair dismissal, so of course I am deeply disappointed to hear these changes have been made.
“Above all this is is coming from the House of Lords, the unelected chamber.”
Ms Maskell said the part of the legislation that was being abandoned - delaying unfair dismissal rights from the first day of employment to six months - was “really important”.
“Employers have nothing to fear from day one rights but workers will have every reason to fear if an employers does not want day one rights,” she told the BBC.
A failure to compromise on workers rights would have 'jeopardised the bill', says Phillipson
09:00 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
A failure to compromise on workers rights would have "jeopardised the bill and delayed things further by another year", Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson has said.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she insisted that the legislation still "represents the biggest upgrades to workers rights in a generation".
Referencing the decision to abandon day one rights to unfair dismissal, she said: "There's been discussion that's taken place between employers, trade unions and government in order to secure the passage of the Employment Rights Bill."
Because of the change that's been set out, that has been consulted upon and discussed, it now means we can take the bill forward, and that from April next year, millions of working people will have better rights at work around sick pay and parental leave.
"If we hadn't been able to get to a settled position, it could have jeopardised the bill and delayed things further by another year, and we didn't want to see that happen."
Asked whether they had fundamentally broken their manifesto, she said: "No, and sometimes in life, you have to be pragmatic in order to secure wider benefits."
Hospitality industry welcomes changes
08:39 , Athena StavrouThe hospitality sector has welcomed the changes being made to the government’s Employment Rights Bill.
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said it was a “pragmatic change” addressing one of they industry’s key concerns.
“We made clear representations to the Government that a six-month qualifying period would be much more practical for businesses and maintain job opportunities for young people, and I’m glad they have acted on those concerns,” she said.
“The Employment Rights Bill will still bring substantial changes and extra cost to hospitality businesses. In light of the increases to wages, business rates and other costs coming in April, it would be sensible for the Government to delay the introduction of statutory sick pay from day one by six months.
“This would give businesses much-needed breathing room and avoid further damage to employment opportunities.”
What did Labour's manifesto say?
08:29 , Athena StavrouLabour’s manifesto explicitly promised to “consult fully with businesses, workers, and civil society on how to put our plans into practice before legislation is passed”.
“This will include banning exploitative zero-hours contracts; ending fire and rehire; and introducing basic rights from day one to parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal,” it said.
Implementation of Employment Rights Bill could have been delayed by years, Cabinet minister says
08:18 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
There was a “very real prospect” the implementation of the Employment Rights Bill would have been delayed by years if the government had not made a U-turn over day one protections against unfair dismissal, Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson said.
The education secretary told Sky News: “The Employment Rights Bill is the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.
“There has been discussion on the point around unfair dismissal and the time period between businesses, the TUC and Government, and following that discussion there’s been agreement about the way forward, which is welcome.
“It means that the time limit will come down from two years to six months, and that runs alongside important day-one rights around sick pay and around parental leave. But the risk here was that if we didn’t make progress, those important rights wouldn’t come into force from April next year.”
She added: "There was a very real prospect that unless that discussion had taken place and a pragmatic approach was reached, that there would be years delay to that implementation."
What have Labour U-turned on?
08:04 , Athena StavrouMinisters have abandoned plans to give workers day-one protection against unfair dismissal in a U-turn that breaches the Labour manifesto.
Ministers have axed the proposal to cut the “qualifying period” for workers to make an unfair dismissal claim from 24 months to the first day in a new job, in a bid to get the legislation through Parliament.
The Government now intends to introduce the right after six months of service instead, while other day-one rights to paternity leave and sick pay are still set to go ahead, coming into effect in April 2026.
Unions: Legislation 'a shell of its former self'
08:01 , Athena StavrouUnite boss Sharon Graham said the Bill had become “a shell of its former self” while TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the “absolute priority” was to get the legislation on to the statute books.
“Following the Government’s announcement, it is now vital that peers respect Labour’s manifesto mandate and that this Bill secures royal assent as quickly as possible,” Mr Nowak said.
Ms Graham said: “These constant row-backs will only damage workers’ confidence that the protections promised will be worth the wait. Labour needs to keep its promises.”
Phillipson denies Labour has breached its manifesto with employment rights U-turn
07:56 , Athena StavrouThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson denied that the concession on Labour's flagship employment rights bill was a broken manifesto promise, because Labour’s election document had committed to a consultation.
The manifesto said “we will consult fully with businesses, workers, and civil society on how to put our plans into practice before legislation is passed” but went on: “This will include banning exploitative zero hours contracts; ending fire and rehire; and introducing basic rights from day one to parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal.”
Asked if it was a broken promise, Ms Phillipson said: “In the manifesto, what we said was that we would work with trade unions, with business, with civil society, in consulting on those protections that we’d be bringing forward.
“So, there are both parts to that, within the manifesto, the important rights and the consultation.”
Labour MPs condemn Starmer's workers' rights U-turn
07:55 , Athena StavrouSir Keir Starmer is facing backbench anger after ministers abandoned plans to give workers day-one protection against unfair dismissal in a U-turn that breaches the Labour manifesto.
MPs including a former minister who spearheaded the Employment Rights Bill with ex-deputy leader Angela Rayner voiced concerns over the climbdown announced by the Government on Thursday night.
Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, Andy McDonald, branded the move a “complete betrayal” and vowed to push for its reversal.
He said: “we cannot support that halfway measure”, adding: “This is a wrong-headed move and I will campaign to have this concession reversed.”
Labour MP for Poole, Neil Duncan-Jordan, told the Press Association: “There has been no discussion with the PLP about this.
“The Lords don’t have primacy over a manifesto commitment, so why have we capitulated?”
Labour MP for York Central, Rachael Maskell, told PA: “Employers have nothing to fear from day-one rights, but workers have everything to fear from an employer who doesn’t want day-one rights.”
