L

Lord Burns (CB)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 10 December 2025

Debate

Employment Rights Bill

Contribution

My Lords, I have listened closely to the Minister and I have had several conversations with the Front-Bench team. I remain very disappointed with the determination to go back towards the 1945 arrangements. I fear that, unless we can make further progress and improve how this Bill works in practice, in time it will end badly; I cannot believe that it has a great shelf life. I was involved in the 2016 discussions, which were very fraught and there was a lot of ill will. We compromised on that occasion with the greatest of difficulty. The chances of reaching compromise in the same circumstances on another occasion will be very difficult. I hope that, whatever further discussions take place about how this works in practice, we are going to get something that is much nearer to what I describe as a real, effective and active choice for those who wish to opt out. However, I recognise that I have reached the end of the road on this. I got involved in this issue by accident back in 2016 and I will not press my amendment. I beg leave to withdraw it.

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