Reform Declare War On Working People And Home Renters In Ghost Of Thatcher Act
Reform UK have been condemned by Trade Unions and home Renters organisations after its business spokesperson, anddeputy leaderRichard Tice, ina major policy announcement on 24 February 2026, Reform UK; pledged to scrap the Employment Rights Act 2025 through a proposed "Great Repeal Bill" andvowed to bring forward a “great repeal act” to scrap key Labour laws on workers’ rights and tenant protections.
Further, but not mentioned is the fact thsat such a move would mean the removal of Heath & Safety protections and the rersponsihbility of employers and landlords to provide a healthy and safe working and living environment.
In his first address since being handed the business, trade and energy brief by Nigel Farage, Tice outlined plans for sweeping deregulation. His proposals included abandoning net zero commitments and expanding domestic shale gas production through fracking.
Describing current rules as “daft”, Tice said a Reform government would overturn the Employment Rights Act and the Renters’ Rights Act, two major reforms introduced under Keir Starmer.
“We will repeal things that are unnecessary or against the strategic national interest,” he told an audience in Birmingham, arguing that some measures, though “well-intentioned”, were producing the opposite of their intended effect.
The Employment Rights Act, passed in December, introduced enhanced protections on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts. It guarantees hours for some workers, requires compensation for last-minute shift cancellations and restricts most “fire-and-rehire” practices.
Tice claimed the legislation was “destroying jobs for young people” and linked it to rising youth unemployment.
He also pledged to repeal the Renters’ Rights Act, arguing that it had reduced the supply of rental housing and driven up rents. The law bans “no fault” evictions, replaces fixed-term tenancies with open-ended agreements and strengthens obligations on landlords to address health hazards.
According to Tice, many landlords now view renting as “too risky” if they cannot easily regain possession of their properties. “There’s a balance of risk and reward, and too many landlords have said, enough is enough,” he said.
Reform UK War On Working People Agenda
- Repealing the Employment Rights Act 2025: Scrapping new rules on sick pay, parental leave, and zero-hours contracts.
- Abolishing the Equality Act 2010: Reform plans to repeal the Equality Act, which unions claim would legalise various forms of workplace discrimination.
- Deregulation: Removing what they term "daft regulations" to lower inflation and reduce costs for consumers.
Context: The Act They Seek to Repeal
The Employment Rights Act 2025 (originally the Employment Rights Bill) was passed by the Labour government and received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. Its key provisions, which Reform aims to undo, include:
- Unfair Dismissal: Protection starting after 6 months of employment (reduced from 2 years).
- Day-One Rights: Immediate entitlement to paternity, parental, and bereavement leave.
- Sick Pay: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) available from the first day of illness and removal of the lower earnings limit.
- Zero-Hours Contracts: A ban on "exploitative" zero-hours contracts by giving workers rights to guaranteed hours.
- Fire and Rehire: Heavy restrictions on the practice of dismissing and rehiring staff on worse terms.
Sarah Elliott, chief executive of the housing charity Shelter, questioned how any party could claim to support working families while seeking to weaken tenant safeguards. She warned that scrapping the reforms would leave renters exposed to poor conditions and arbitrary eviction.
Clara Collingwood, interim director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said removing basic protections would be a serious setback for millions, increasing homelessness and disproportionately affecting lower-income households.
Andrea Egan, general secretary of the union Unison, said Reform MPs had “consistently voted against every measure to improve fairness and rights at work”, arguing that the new laws are widely supported and could benefit millions.
Tice’s rhetoric around a sweeping repeal echoes language used by Donald Trump to describe his “big beautiful bill” tax plans. He also suggested a Reform government could introduce “tight quotas and significant tariffs” on certain Chinese imports to shield UK manufacturers.
In addition, Tice called for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund to invest in domestic energy production, including renewed North Sea oil drilling and fracking projects. “It’s our patriotic duty to use our energy treasure,” he said.
Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends of the Earth, countered that strengthening Britain’s renewable energy sector and investing in nationwide home insulation would offer a more effective path to long-term energy security.
Source: TUC / The Guardian
