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Keir Starmer is facing rebellion from MPs after ministers dropped proposals to give workers immediate safeguards against unfair dismissal, a change breaking the campaign commitments.

Parliamentarians Raise Alarms

Lawmakers featuring a previous cabinet member who led the worker protection legislation expressed apprehension over the climbdown announced by the government.

Government officials have eliminated the plan to remove the 24-month "qualifying period" for workers to file wrongful termination cases and permit them to act starting immediately in a new job, to try to get the bill through lawmakers.

Legislative Deadlock

The bill was caught in a dispute involving peers and MPs concerning the first draft to give workers the protection immediately, along with provisions to ban "exploitative" zero-hours contracts.

Ministers currently plan to introduce the right concerning unjust firing after six months of service instead, whereas other immediate protections to paternity leave and sick pay remain scheduled to proceed, becoming active in spring 2026.

Opposition and Condemnation

The elected official for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East described the move as a "complete betrayal" and vowed to push for its cancellation.

"We cannot support that halfway measure."

"This represents misguided policy and I will campaign to overturn this compromise."

A different party representative expressed frustration regarding insufficient discussion, remarking: "There has been absence of dialogue with party members. The upper chamber lacks authority regarding election promises, so why have we capitulated??"

Broader Implications

Another representative remarked: "Companies need not concern themselves from day-one rights, but workers have everything to fear from an employer who resists first-day entitlements."

The ex-labor secretary asserted that the decision "undoubtedly constitutes a broken promise."

Government Justification

The learning department head explained existed a "genuine possibility" the execution of the worker protection legislation might have faced postponement if the government had not made a reversal concerning day one protections against unjust firing.

"There has been discussion concerning the matter about unjust firing and the qualifying timeframe with employers, trade unions and ministers, and following that discussion consensus has emerged about the way forward, which is welcome."

The minister stressed that "Consequently the qualifying period will come down from 24 months to half a year, and this accompanies crucial immediate protections regarding health-related payments and around parental leave."

"But the risk here was that if we didn't make progress, those significant entitlements could remain inactive beginning second quarter 2026."

Following inquiry concerning whether it amounted to an unfulfilled pledge, the secretary answered: "In the manifesto, what we said was that we would work with worker representatives, with employers, with public organizations, in consulting on these safeguards we intended to implement."

"So, there are both parts regarding that matter, within the manifesto, the important rights and the dialogue."