Employment Rights Bill: Government motion not to insist on Commons Amendment 72C but to disagree with LA72D to LA72H and to propose Gov (a) and (b) in lieu of LA72D to LA72H

What happened

On 8 December 2025, the House of Commons voted 326 to 162 to approve a government motion on the Employment Rights Bill during what is known as "ping-pong," the back-and-forth process between the Commons and the Lords when the two chambers disagree. The motion withdrew one previous Commons amendment (72C) while rejecting several Lords amendments (72D to 72H) and proposing two new compromise amendments in their place. This was the third time MPs had returned to the bill to consider Lords amendments, covering issues including guaranteed hours for zero-hours contract workers, unfair dismissal protections, and a cap on employment tribunal compensation.

Why it matters

The Employment Rights Bill is the largest overhaul of employment law in a generation, and this vote moves it significantly closer to becoming law. In practical terms, the measures being advanced include a duty on employers to offer guaranteed hours to eligible zero-hours workers, protection against unfair dismissal from 1 January 2027 for employees with six months of service, and changes to how compensation for employment tribunal cases is handled, including the removal of a cap on compensation payments. These changes affect millions of workers across the UK, particularly those in insecure or low-paid employment, as well as the businesses that employ them. Statutory sick pay improvements, which had been at risk of delay due to the length of time the bill spent in the Lords, are also brought closer to implementation.

The politics

The vote divided almost entirely along government-versus-opposition lines. Labour MPs, including members of the Labour and Co-operative Party, voted unanimously in favour, joined by Plaid Cymru and the Greens. Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, the Democratic Unionist Party, and Reform UK all voted against. The Liberal Democrats, who had supported many elements of the bill, stated they would abstain on this motion rather than vote against it, though their MPs ultimately appear in the No lobby, largely due to a dispute over the last-minute inclusion of a lifted compensation cap which they said had not been agreed in negotiations with business groups. A notable intervention came from Ian Lavery, a Labour backbencher, who questioned why the government had moved away from a manifesto commitment to day-one employment rights. The former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner spoke in favour, welcoming progress after years of campaigning. Justin Madders, another Labour MP, declared the bill must now pass, warning the Lords that further delay was unacceptable.