Employment Rights Bill: Motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 49
332Ayes
160Noes
Carried · majority 172 · Government won159 did not vote
651 Members · Aye 332 · No 160 · DNV 159 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
The House of Commons voted on 15 September 2025 to disagree with Lords Amendment 49 to the Employment Rights Bill, effectively overriding a change made by the House of Lords to the government's flagship employment legislation. The motion passed by 332 votes to 160, a majority of 172. By rejecting Lords Amendment 49, the Commons restored the government's original position on this element of the Employment Rights Bill, preventing the Lords' modification from taking effect. The Employment Rights Bill represents a significant expansion of workers' protections, and each Lords amendment that the Commons overrides ensures the government's preferred policy framework remains intact. The outcome affects workers and employers across the United Kingdom, determining the precise terms under which employment rights are strengthened. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. Labour and Labour/Co-operative MPs voted unanimously in favour of overriding the Lords, joined by the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Greens, and several independents, giving the government a comfortable majority. The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, and the DUP all voted against. There were no notable rebels on either side. This division sits within a prolonged legislative back-and-forth between the Commons and the Lords, known as parliamentary ping-pong, with the Commons also voting on several related Employment Rights Bill amendments in December 2025.
Voting Aye meant
Support the government's rejection of the Lords amendment, maintaining the original Employment Rights Bill approach to statutory probation periods without expanding worker representation rights to non-union professionals
Voting No meant
Back the Lords amendment giving workers individual choice of representative (union, mediator, or other qualified professional) during probationary dismissal processes, arguing the government's approach creates a two-tier system
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped Aye
277
0
84
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
82
34
Liberal Democrats
Whipped No
0
65
7
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
34
0
8
Independent
—
4
1
8
Scottish National Party
Whipped Aye
8
0
1
Reform UK
Whipped No
0
6
2
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
—
0
2
3
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Plaid Cymru
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
2
0
0
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
0
1
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
1
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
0
1
0
Your Party
—
1
0
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Government will reject most Lords amendments and proceed with day-one unfair dismissal rights, employer-led guaranteed hours offers, and expanded bereavement leave, striking a balance between worker protection and business flexibility.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (7,412 words) →
The Bill will damage growth and employment; Lords amendments are reasonable and should be accepted, especially on probation periods (6 months instead of day one), zero-hours contract flexibility, and trade union ballot thresholds.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (2,054 words) →
The Bill is landmark legislation delivering on Labour's manifesto; day-one unfair dismissal rights and employer-led guaranteed hours are essential to restore dignity at work and end the race to the bottom.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (2,898 words) →
Support Bill's aims but concerned about implementation detail left to secondary legislation; favour Lords amendments on guaranteed hours as a right to request (not obligation), 48-hour notice periods, and seasonal work protections.Liberal Democrat · Voted no · Read full speech (2,716 words) →
Challenge Government on business support; claim most small and medium-sized businesses oppose the Bill despite Government assertions.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (54 words) →
Acknowledge some business concerns on probation tribunal involvement and sick pay waiting days; urge continued engagement with chambers of commerce.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (129 words) →
Small businesses fear sickness absence costs will rise dramatically; request assurance that Bill will not overwhelm businesses with additional payroll costs.DUP · Voted no · Read full speech (141 words) →
Welcome most of Bill but urge Government to reconsider Lords amendment 61 on heritage railways to allow youth volunteering safely and legally.Plaid Cymru · Voted aye · Read full speech (194 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0