James Wild MP has raised concerns in Parliament over the Employment Rights Bill warning of its potential to harm businesses and job creation.
Speaking during the report stage of the Employment Rights Bill, he highlighted that the government’s own impact assessment estimates will add £5 billion a year to business costs. He warned about loading more cost and regulatory burdens on business and said:
“My concern is that the Government are treating businesses like the mule in Buckaroo, loading on more and more costs and obligations. Anyone who has played the game will know that it is inevitable that there will be a reaction and the mule will buck. In economic terms, that means fewer jobs, higher prices and lower wages. The Government’s own impact assessment puts the cost to business at £5 billion a year. That simply cannot be absorbed by companies, so new clause 87 would offer some protection.”
Emphasising the need for labour market flexibility, he referenced concerns from business leaders, including the CEO of Currys, about potential negative effects on younger workers and those reliant on flexible arrangements.
“The chief executive of Currys, for example, has said that guaranteed hours measures will penalise younger workers and ‘millions of others who benefit from flexible hours, making such jobs less viable and businesses less competitive.’
You do not need to be a retailer, or even an economist or lawyer, to know that stores and leisure and hospitality businesses have seasons. That is particularly the case in my constituency. Companies have to plan to have the right size workforce at different times of the year, and these measures will damage that.”
James’ speech comes as the economy faces broader challenges. He argued that the government inherited the "fastest-growing economy in the G7" but has since "stopped growth stone dead" - a stark contrast to its promise of long-term economic stability and productivity growth.
