Keir Starmer Abandons Day-One Unfair Dismissal Protections

Keir Starmer’s government has formally abandoned its manifesto pledge to give workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from day one and has instead settled on a six-month qualifying period in a revised Employment Rights Bill.

“The government has U-turned on its manifesto commitment to offer all workers the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day in a job”

BBC

Several outlets describe the change as a U‑turn that reduces the current 24‑month qualifying period to six months.

BBC

Sky News reports the government has U‑turned on the day‑one pledge and says employees will need six months' service to claim unfair dismissal, down from 24 months.

The Guardian and the i frame the move as abandoning day‑one protection in favour of a six‑month threshold and present it as a negotiated compromise to secure parliamentary approval.

Sources say the change is intended to break a Lords stand‑off and allow other elements of the bill to proceed.

Government sources and ministers said the switch resulted from intensive negotiations between ministers, business groups and trade unions.

The Guardian reports that Business Secretary Peter Kyle brokered a deal between six major business groups, the TUC and several unions.

Daily Mail

LBC quotes Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calling the U-turn "the right thing to do" and saying the compromise resolved an impasse in the House of Lords.

The i and Daily Mail say the change followed heavy business lobbying and talks intended to speed the bill through the Lords so other reforms, notably day-one sick pay and paternity leave, can be enacted.

The compromise has provoked clear tensions among trade unions, business groups and within the parliamentary Labour Party.

“The British government has performed a significant U-turn on its flagship employment policy, abandoning its much-touted pledge to grant workers protection from unfair dismissal from the very first day in a new job”

Evrim Ağacı

The Guardian records union infighting and quotes Unite calling the bill a "shell of its former self," while the i notes unease among TUC leaders who nevertheless urged that enactment should not be delayed.

The London Evening Standard and Sky News both report anger from backbench MPs and unions, suggesting political fallout that may reverberate among Labour's supporters.

Conversely, business groups and the CBI criticised the Bill's remaining burdens — the Daily Mail cites the government's assessment of compliance costs at about £5bn a year and quotes the CBI calling it "disappointing and damaging."

The policy text reported by several outlets clarifies important carve-outs and trade-offs.

Most sources note the six-month qualifying period replaces the current 24-month rule and that a proposed nine-month probationary definition has been dropped.

lbc.co.uk

The i and The Guardian add that protections linked to discrimination or whistleblowing will still apply from day one, while multiple outlets confirm that other day-one entitlements — statutory sick pay and paternity leave — are expected to remain and come into force from April (some specify April 2026).

The Daily Mail and the i emphasise that ministers argue the compromise helps avoid frivolous claims and that any future change to the six-month rule would require primary legislation.

Politically, the U-turn exposes a fault line between pledges made in Labour's manifesto and the practicalities of legislating amid business resistance and Lords scrutiny.

“Business|Business News Sign up for our email featuring expert insight and funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMEs I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard”

London Evening Standard

Several outlets frame the compromise as designed to ensure the Employment Rights Bill reaches the statute book, with the i reporting talks aimed to get it 'onto the statute book by Christmas'.

London Evening Standard

The Guardian and Daily Mail report the change was intended to speed the bill through the Lords and bring other rights into force from next April.

Critics argue the modification will alienate some union supporters and disaffected MPs who view it as a broken promise, whereas ministers and some union leaders say the trade-off is necessary to secure immediate gains in other worker rights.