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Angela Rayner boasted about bringing in a slew of new rights for workers today – and praised trade unions for their role in helping heap red tape on businesses.
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Rayner → see → businesses
The Communities Secretary celebrated the passing of the Employment Rights Act, which came into force in December, as she addressed the Trade Union Congress annual conference in Brighton.
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she → celebrate → Brighton
The legislation provided for more generous sick pay and paternity leave, with more measures making it harder for firms to sack due to come into effect next year.
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firms → provide → effect
Union leaders including TUC secretary general Paul Nowak are now pushing Labour to go further with a new wave of changes in favour of workers.
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leaders → include → workers
Ms Rayner championed the first stages of the law after the 2024 election, until she was forced to quit as deputy prime minister for failing to pay taxes on a holiday home.
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she → champion → home
But she was brought back into government last month when Andy Burnham replaced Sir Keir Starmer in No10.
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Burnham → bring → No10
Speaking in a half-empty hall in Brighton this afternoon, Ms Rayner told delegates: 'I promised an Employment Rights Bill within 100 days.
'
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I → speak → days
I lost count of how many times I was told that was impossible.
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that → lose → count
But Congress, we did it.
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we → do → it
The Communities Secretary celebrated the passing of the Employment Rights Act, which came into force in December, as she addressed the Trade Union Congress annual conference
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she → celebrate → conference
Ms Rayner told delegates in Brighton: 'I promised an Employment Rights Bill within 100 days.
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I → tell → days
'I lost count of how many times I was told that was impossible.
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that → lose → count
But Congress, we did it
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we → do → it
'
'And I want to thank all of those in this room that helped craft it, made the case for it, who fought for it so hard, because we beat the odds together.'
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we → want → odds
After applause she went on: 'We created new rights for working people not just individually but importantly, collectively through their trade unions.
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We → go → unions
But Conservative shadow business secretary Julia Lopez said: 'Labour's Unemployment Act is proving a handbrake on hiring and costing business millions.
'
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Act → say → millions
It's one of the reasons firms are so nervous to take on young people.'
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firms → take → people
She also hit out at union demands for more, adding: 'Is this what Andy Burnham means when he talks about going back to pre-Thatcher times?
'
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he → hit → times
Because that is what these guys are asking for - a return to the unions running the country.'
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guys → ask → country
Ms Rayner went on to attack Reform after it landed £72million in donations from two crypto billionaires at the weekend.
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it → go → weekend
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary said only Labour was the party of work.
'
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Labour → say → work
They voted against the Employment Rights Act, and if elected, they'd repeal it in a heartbeat, along with the Equality Act.
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they → vote → Act
Think what that means,' she said.
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she → think → what
'Millions of workers no longer protected from exploitative zero-hours contracts, millions of workers back to waiting three days to be paid when they're sick, millions of workers who could be fired and rehired on worse terms and conditions.
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who → protect → terms
Our members' lives, and if you needed proof of whose side they are on, they have given it to us this weekend.
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they → need → us
Nigel Farage's sugar daddies made their money in crypto.
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daddies → make → crypto
They know full well that a Reform government will act in their interests, not the public interest.
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government → know → interests
When these Reform donors say they want nothing, they mean it.
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they → say → it
'And if Farage will do you a Cameo for £70, just ask yourself – what would he do for 70 million?'
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he → do → million