Angela Rayner, UK Labour’s Communities Secretary, celebrated the passage of the Employment Rights Act at the Trade Union Congress in Brighton. The act includes more generous sick pay and paternity leave, with further measures set to make it harder for firms to dismiss employees next year. Critics like Conservative shadow business secretary Julia Lopez argue that these new rights are costly and discourage hiring, particularly for young people.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Angela Rayner, the Communities Secretary, celebrated the passage of the Employment Rights Act at the Trade Union Congress annual conference in Brighton. The act includes more generous sick pay and paternity leave, with additional measures to protect workers from unfair dismissal set to take effect next year. In her speech, Rayner highlighted the role of trade unions in advocating for these worker protections, which some businesses view as excessive red tape. Union leaders like TUC secretary general Paul Nowak are pushing Labour to introduce further reforms benefiting employees. Rayner was reinstated into government after being forced to resign as deputy prime minister due to unpaid taxes on a holiday home and returned following the appointment of Andy Burnham as Prime Minister, replacing Keir Starmer in October 2024.
Written for “Labour Workers Rights Policy” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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Leaning score -0.45 for article 10287 (medium confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-15
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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
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