Tory MPs have been accused of “plotting to slash rights at work” after voting down a bid to stop employment protections expiring after Brexit.
A government bill is set to ‘sunset’ a raft of laws originally written into UK law from the EU in a ‘Brexit bonfire.’
But they include the right to paid holidays, daily and weekly rest breaks, limits on the working week and maternity rights.
Labour MPs debating the bill in a Commons committee suggested a change that would have kept the regulations written into law - and prevent them from expiring at the end of next year
But Tory MPs voted the measure down.
Shadow employment minister Justin Madders told the Mirror: "The Tories are plotting to slash rights at work under the cover of darkness and this Bill gives them the perfect chance to do so.
“The Tories voted against enshrining maternity rights, protecting paid holidays and retaining limits on the working week, thereby confirming they intend to smash their manifesto promise to level up on rights at work."
Tory MP David Jones accused Labour of “scaremongering”.
But Mr Madders responded saying: “A number of prominent Brexiteers have talked extensively about the need to reduce red tape and do away with employment rights.”
He added: “If there is no intention to do away with these laws, the Government simply have to accept the amendment with no further question or debate about it.
“We will be very pleased to be able to report to our constituents that their rights are protected.”
Tory MPs voted against the amendment, which fell by nine votes to seven.
Mr Madders told the Mirror: "As a pro-business, pro-worker party, Labour will oppose any attempt to force working people to pay for others’ mistakes with this Tory bonfire of rights.
“Through our New Deal for Working People, Labour has a concrete plan to achieve a high-growth, high-wage economy for all by ensuring more secure, better-paid jobs are underpinned by strong rights at work."
Industry minister Nusrat Ghani insisted in the debate that the government "do not intend to remove any necessary equality law rights and protections" or "abandon our strong record on workers' rights".
She said the bill would allow ministers "additional flexibility and discretion" on matters of policy that they did not have while Britain was in the EU.
But she added: "Our high standards were never dependent on our membership of the EU. Indeed, the UK provides stronger protections for workers than required by EU law."
