Nandy says workers' rights U-turn is 'right thing to do' after Government watered down protections

Lisa Nandy, Labour MP for Wigan, backed the watering down of plans to allow unfair dismissal claims from day one of employment.

Speaking on LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, the frontbencher said: "I think it's the right thing to do because you'll probably know, Andrew, that we'd reached something of an impasse in the House of Lords around this issue of not of day one rights.

"There are still day one rights contained within the legislation for all sorts of things, including paternity leave, but day one rights around unfair dismissal.

Of the changes, she added: "What we've done is get what we promised to do, which is to get trade unions and business leaders in a room to reach a compromise. They have reached a compromise on six months."

Protections against unfair dismissal will now be in place from six months after concerns were raised about the potential change in the Employment Rights Bill and the effect it could have on small businesses.

The change will now make the bill a "workable package", the Government says, with day one rights potentially stopping it from clearing parliament.

Workers will still get day one entitlements for sick pay and paternity leave, which will come into effect in April 2026.

She added: "When this legislation is passed, you'll be entitled to them after six months. I think that's a reasonable and a fair compromise.

"As a proud trade unionist, I want to see us upgrade rights for working people in this country and I've wanted that for a long time.

"But I'm confident that this bill will do it and represent a significant step forward to give working people the security that they've been denied for too long."