Employment Rights Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 48B

What happened: The House of Commons voted on 5 November 2025 to reject Lords Amendment 48B to the Employment Rights Bill, passing a government motion to disagree with the Lords by 310 votes to 150. The amendment, which had been inserted by the House of Lords, would have modified the Bill's provisions relating to guaranteed hours for workers, particularly affecting how the right to guaranteed hours applies to seasonal and flexible workers. The Commons majority overrode the Lords' proposed change, keeping the Government's original approach intact.

Why it matters: The Employment Rights Bill is one of the most significant pieces of employment legislation in a generation, introducing a package of protections including day one rights against unfair dismissal, guaranteed hours offers for zero-hours contract workers, and changes to trade union balloting rules. By rejecting Lords Amendment 48B, the Commons maintained the Government's preferred framework for guaranteed hours rather than accepting a Lords modification that would have shifted the obligation from a right to guaranteed hours to a right to request them. This distinction matters practically: a right to be offered guaranteed hours is a stronger protection for workers, particularly those in sectors such as hospitality, retail and seasonal industries, where variable or zero-hours contracts are common.

The politics: The vote divided almost entirely along government versus opposition lines. All 285 Labour and Labour and Co-operative Party MPs who voted supported the Government. The Conservatives (86 votes) and Liberal Democrats (61 votes) both voted against, as did Reform UK's two voting members. Smaller parties including the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Greens backed the Government. The Liberal Democrats' position was notable: their spokesperson Sarah Olney indicated broad support for the Bill's principles but argued the guaranteed hours provision should be a right to request rather than a right to receive, aligning them with the Lords amendment. The Conservatives opposed the Bill more broadly, with shadow Secretary of State Andrew Griffith arguing it would reduce employment, particularly for young people. This was the second time the Commons had considered Lords amendments to the Bill, and subsequent votes in December 2025 show the Bill continued through further rounds of parliamentary exchange before receiving its final shape.