Employment Rights Bill: Government motion to insist on disagreement to LA62 but not to insist on Commons Amendment 62C and to propose Gov (a) in lieu of LA62

Parliament voted on 8 December 2025 to back the government's revised position on unfair dismissal protections in the Employment Rights Bill, rejecting both the original Lords amendment (Lords Amendment 62) and an earlier Commons substitute (Amendment 62C) in favour of a new government proposal. The vote passed 327 to 162. The government's proposal commits to extending day-one unfair dismissal rights from 1 January 2027, with workers already in post for six months or more gaining protection immediately from that date, and new starters gaining protection after six months of service. The practical effect is to accelerate the protection of millions of workers compared with current law, which requires two years of continuous employment before an unfair dismissal claim can be made. Under the new timetable, a worker starting employment on the day of the vote would gain protection on 1 January 2027, nearly a year earlier than under existing rules. The government described the commencement approach as one that prevents a two-tier system, where some workers would still face a two-year qualifying period while others faced only six months. The commencement date is to be set in regulations, which ministers committed to publishing early in the new year. Labour and Labour Co-operative MPs voted unanimously in favour, joined by Plaid Cymru and the Green Party, and two independents. Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Democratic Unionist Party, and Reform UK MPs voted against, alongside one MP from Restore Britain and four independents. No cross-party rebels were recorded. The Conservative opposition argued the Bill would increase youth unemployment, pointing to a 15 per cent youth unemployment rate and a rise of 25,000 in young people not in education, employment or training, and characterised the legislation as primarily serving trade union interests.