Employment Rights Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 48B
310Ayes
150Noes
Carried · majority 160 · Government won188 did not vote
648 Members · Aye 310 · No 150 · DNV 188 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament voted on 5 November 2025 to reject Lords Amendment 48B to the Employment Rights Bill. The motion to disagree with the Lords passed by 310 votes to 150, removing the amendment from the legislation without the government proposing any replacement text in its place. The available parliamentary record does not specify in detail what Lords Amendment 48B did. The Hansard extracts from the debate cover several other amendments on separate topics, including heritage railway volunteering, trade union political funds, industrial action ballot thresholds, and day-one unfair dismissal rights, but no speaker is recorded addressing Amendment 48B by name or explaining its substance. What is clear from the division record is that the government opposed retaining it and succeeded in removing it. Party lines held almost entirely. All 285 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted backed the government's position, as did the six SNP members, all four Plaid Cymru members, all four Green MPs, and six independents who voted. The 150 votes against came from 86 Conservatives, 61 Liberal Democrats, two Reform UK members, and one independent. No Conservative or Liberal Democrat voted with the government; no Labour MP voted against it.
Voting Aye meant
Support the government's rejection of Lords Amendment 48B, backing the Employment Rights Bill in its current Commons-approved form
Voting No meant
Support retaining Lords Amendment 48B, backing the Lords' modification to the Employment Rights Bill
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
255
0
106
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
86
30
Liberal Democrats
Whipped No
0
60
11
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
30
0
12
Independent
—
6
2
5
Scottish National Party
Whipped Aye
6
0
3
Reform UK
—
0
2
6
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
—
0
1
4
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
4
0
0
Plaid Cymru
Whipped Aye
4
0
0
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
1
0
1
Your Party
—
2
0
0
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
1
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
0
1
Ulster Unionist Party
—
1
0
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Defended rejecting Lords amendments on day-one unfair dismissal rights, guaranteed hours, and strike ballot thresholds; argued these are core manifesto commitments that will provide security and dignity for workers while supporting fair employers.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (5,845 words) →
Opposed the Bill as rushed and half-baked, warning it will reduce youth hiring, create unemployment, and burden small businesses with compliance costs; called for meaningful compromises on qualifying periods, seasonal work, and guaranteed hours obligations.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (1,798 words) →
Passionately defended the Bill as delivering a new deal for working people, rejecting compromise amendments as attempts to water down manifesto promises; emphasized worker dignity and cited support from businesses like the Co-op and Richer Sounds.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,434 words) →
Supported the Bill's aims but urged amendments to clarify probation periods, change guaranteed hours to a right-to-request model, and maintain the 50% ballot threshold; argued for balance between worker security and business flexibility.Liberal Democrat · Voted no · Read full speech (2,057 words) →
Strongly opposed Lords amendments, particularly on zero-hours contracts and ballot thresholds; argued day-one unfair dismissal rights are essential and did not prevent probation periods; cited OECD evidence that employment regulation does not reduce employment.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,652 words) →
Defended the Bill as a manifesto pledge voted for by millions; cited research showing 73% of employers support day-one unfair dismissal rights; challenged Opposition claims about union influence by noting trade union support is transparent and democratic.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (344 words) →
Strongly opposed all Lords amendments, arguing they would water down manifesto commitments on day-one rights, guaranteed hours, and ballot thresholds; framed the Bill as essential to raising living standards after 14 years of wage suppression.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,139 words) →
Declared no concessions on the Bill; opposed political fund opt-in and ballot thresholds as undemocratic attacks on worker voice; committed to full repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (728 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0