Labour should fight Conservative and Reform criticism of a major expansion in workers’ rights because it has an “indisputable mandate” from the public, trade unions and MPs have said, after the biggest poll conducted on the issue showed huge support.
A mega-poll of 21,000 people, including deep dives into Reform constituencies, showed the ban on zero-hours contracts and other protections for workers were backed by the vast majority of voters for Nigel Farage’s party.
The poll from the TUC suggested the employment rights bill, which includes day one sick pay and new rights to parental leave and flexible working, is the government’s most popular policy among both Reform and Green voters.
The TUC said Farage’s Reform was “defying its own voters and constituents” with its opposition to the legislation. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has made the legislation’s burden on businesses one of her key attacks against Keir Starmer.
Labour MPs and some cabinet ministers have voiced private frustration that the government – especially Starmer and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves – appears reticent to champion the policy too loudly for fear of spooking businesses and because of consistent attacks on the policy in rightwing media.
Anneliese Midgley, the Labour MP for Knowsley, said: “We shouldn’t be shy in talking about improving employment rights – it is one of our best weapons in the fight against the populist right. Reform are all talk, they have no plan for working people. It’s this Labour government that is delivering for working people – and we need to shout about it.”
The Labour Growth Group – a caucus of more than 70 pro-business and infrastructure MPs – said its members were fully behind the rights being delivered in full. The group’s vice-chair, Mark Ferguson, the MP for Gateshead Central, said the rights were not only popular but would be good for the economy.
“It’s clear too that they will have a major positive impact for the economy and living standards in every community across the country. This is a package that will lead to better productivity and growth,” he said. “All the evidence shows that productive, skilled and stable workforces are for good for investment.”
A Labour Growth Group source said: “Businesses are speaking really frankly with us about sorting out all kinds of absolutely mad stuff in the system that has been holding back innovation and productivity for years. Opposition to more secure employment and better working conditions really isn’t featuring much in those conversations.”
The poll shows 72% of UK voters support a ban on zero-hours contracts – including two-thirds of Reform and Tory voters from the 2024 general election. But that figure is even higher for those saying they would now vote Conservative and Reform. Only 15% oppose the policy.
There are similarly huge levels of support for statutory sick pay from day one, backed by three-quarters of voters and 66% of those planning to vote Reform. More than two-thirds back day one protection from unfair dismissal and making it easier for flexible working.
Farage has previously attacked some of the government’s flexible working plans, calling them “a complete load of cobblers” and saying “if you want to do well in life and succeed, believe me, you’ve got to work hard”.
The multilevel regression with poststratification (MRP) poll modelled support at a constituency level for two key policies from the legislation – banning zero hours contracts and giving all workers sick pay from day one – which showed every single constituency had majority support for the proposals.
In Farage’s Clacton seat, 70% support banning zero hours contracts and day one sick pay. There is similar – sometimes higher – support for both policies in Lee Anderson’s Ashfield seat, Richard Tice’s Boston and Skegness seat and Rupert Lowe’s Great Yarmouth seat.
The TUC’s MRP, in collaboration with Hope Not Hate, showed that in the five Labour-held seats that were on course to be taken by Reform, the policies were backed by more than 70% of voters. There is also significant support in key Conservative-held areas, including in Badenoch’s seat, where 70% back both the ban on zero hours and day one sick pay. Badenoch has repeatedly attacked the policy at PMQs.
The TUC general secretary, Paul Nowak ,said: “Reform is defying its own voters and constituents on workers’ rights. Reform MPs voted against the employment rights bill at every stage. Nigel Farage and Reform aren’t on the side of working people – they’re on the side of bad bosses, zero hours contracts and fire and rehire.”
The bill is expected to return to the Commons for its final vote in late February.
Nowak cautioned against any further dilution of the measures under pressure from business or the political right. “Opponents of the bill are with a world away from the British public,” he said. “These policies are massively popular right across the country, and right across the political spectrum.”
