UK considers scrapping some EU labour laws

UK considers scrapping some EU labour laws

Publishedduration1 hour ago

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Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has confirmed the government is looking at scrapping some EU labour laws now it is no longer bound by the bloc's rules.

It comes after he denied reports of plans to dilute some workers' rights.

Measures under consideration include relaxing the working time directive which enshrines a 48-hour week.

But shadow business secretary Ed Miliband said the government wanted to take a "wrecking ball" to hard-won rights.

Earlier this week Mr Kwarteng said he wanted to "protect and enhance" workers' rights after the Financial Times reported that some rules could be weakened.

The minister later told business leaders the UK had an opportunity to reform regulation derived from EU law, but would not deliberately antagonise the EU - its biggest trading partner - immediately after the Brexit deal.

Confirming the review on Tuesday, Mr Kwarteng told MPs there would be no "bonfire of rights".

"I think the view was that we wanted to look at the whole range of issues relating to our EU membership and examine what we wanted to keep, if you like," he said.

But he said "the idea that we are trying to whittle down standards, that's not at all plausible or true".

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