Angela Rayner’s workers’ rights Bill should be scrapped now that she has quit, the Tories have insisted.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s resignation at the weekend has raised questions over the future of the controversial package, which is expected to cost British businesses up to £5 billion a year.
Shadow business spokesman Andrew Griffith has written to new Business Secretary Peter Kyle, who is taking responsibility for the Employment Rights Bill – which is in its final parliamentary stages – and urged him to scrap it.
The Bill, which has been praised by unions, includes sweeping plans to give stronger rights to workers from day one of their employment and a ban on flexible zero-hours contracts.
Mr Griffith wrote: ‘Rather than proceed with a measure which on the Government’s own impact assessment will reduce employment and growth, now is the time to put the national interest first.’ He added the Bill should ‘be shelved and the Government look afresh at measures to promote the growth and competitiveness of the economy’.
The Employment Rights Bill featured in Ms Rayner’s resignation letter as one of the things she was proud of having achieved.
But Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has branded the flagship ‘new deal for working people’ a ‘war on the private sector’.
Angela Rayner’s workers’ rights Bill should be scrapped now that she has quit, the Tories have insisted
The Deputy Prime Minister’s resignation at the weekend has raised questions over the future of the controversial package
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch (pictured) has branded the flagship ‘new deal for working people’ a ‘war on the private sector’
It is returning to the Commons following amendments from the Lords. Britain’s five leading business groups wrote to the Lords urging them to improve the legislation to protect growth. The British Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Business and MakeUK all warned of ‘damaging implications for the Government’s priority growth mission’
Mr Griffith also highlighted Mr Kyle’s comments on Saturday that the Government’s priority must be to ‘double down’ on growth. The Tory frontbencher called on Mr Kyle to heed the warnings of business and trade bodies to deliver growth.
