Keir Starmer Breaks Another Manifesto Pledge By Watering Down Workers' Rights Bill

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves visit the Benn Partnership Centre, a community centre in Rugby. Keir Starmer is facing yet another Labour revolt after he watered down the government’s flagship workers’ rights bill. In a U-turn which breaks another election manifesto pledge, plans to give employees day-one protection against unfair dismissal have been ditched. Instead, workers will have to be in a job for at least six months before the protection kicks in. Business secretary Peter Kyle said the “compromise” had been reached between business leaders and the trade unions after the legislation became bogged down in the House of Lords. But Labour MPs reacted angrily to the move, which they said was a clear breach of the party’s election manifesto, which promised to give workers “basic rights from day one to parental leave, sick pay, and protection from unfair dismissal”. Former minister Justin Madders said: “It might be a compromise. It might even be necessary to get the Bill passed asap. But it most definitely is a manifesto breach.” It might be a compromise It might even be necessary to get the Bill passed asap But it most definitely is a manifesto breach https://t.co/onavf5GBWL — Justin Madders (@justinmadders) November 27, 2025 Related... Starmer Would Lose Leadership Contest Against Streeting, Burnham, Rayner And Miliband Analysis: Rachel Reeves's £26 Billion Gamble Could Be The Final Nail In Labour's Coffin Exclusive: Labour MPs Offered Tours Of No.10 As PM Tries To Repair Relations With Backbenchers