New deal or no deal

The Government’s Make Work Pay agenda was one of its signature pitches at the start of this Parliament. But while the Employment Rights Bill reached Westminster in rapid time – within 100 days of office – implementation will be a bigger challenge, with important decisions still to be taken about how the reforms will work in practice. These decisions will be made amid big disagreements between unions and employers about how to deliver the reforms, and amid debates about the possible effects on the economy.

What might be the overall impact on the Employment Rights Bill on employment and growth? How might workers benefit from new protections? How should the Government implement new employment rights effectively? And where should the UK’s labour market reform agenda go next?