DAILY MAIL COMMENT: It's time to call a halt to the jobs-killing Employment Rights Act...before the unions get even more power

Published: 19:24, 2 August 2026 | Updated: 19:24, 2 August 2026 No one who truly cares about Britain welcomes the prospect of extra powers being handed to trade unions. At a time when creating jobs and nurturing a more positive business environment should be priorities, the last thing we need is a new generation of militant general secretaries and shop stewards flexing their muscles. Yet that is exactly the sort of monster that the Government is set to inflict on the nation through the Employment Rights Act. Among its many pernicious measures is the so-called ‘right to roam’ power allowing union officials to march into offices and factories practically at will. Other provisions include a ‘banter ban’, which will restrict free speech and effectively serve as a charter for those reserving the right to be offended by absolutely everything. The most immediate threat comes in the form of ‘swipe to strike’ online balloting. Not only does this raise the prospect of workplace intimidation, it also means the increased likelihood of crippling industrial action being unleashed at short notice. Should Andy Burnham wish to do so, it is not too late for him to delay the most harmful elements of the legislation. It would allow him to show that he isn’t entirely in thrall to – and in the pocket of – Labour’s union paymasters Of course, it all comes on top of previous Labour measures that have been largely responsible for consigning more than one million young people to the status of not in education, employment or training (Neets). These include rises in the youth minimum wage and bosses’ National Insurance contributions, as well as a dizzying increase in the amount of commercial red tape. Little wonder that Britain seems like it is barely open for business. Yet if we want to expand the economy through encouraging enterprise, entrepreneurship and old-fashioned hard work, then clearing a path for bellicose 1970s-style agitators is hardly the way to go about it. Should Andy Burnham wish to do so, it is not too late for him to delay the most harmful elements of the legislation. It would allow him to show that he isn’t entirely in thrall to – and in the pocket of – Labour’s union paymasters. But we won’t be holding our breath. It remains to be seen whether the events of the past few days have been enough to shake Mr Burnham out of his inexplicable complacency on illegal migration. The shocking developments in Ceuta illustrate both the volatile nature of the crisis and the extraordinary risks taken by migrants to reach European soil. Closer to home, the increasing use of so-called ‘mega dinghies’ for Channel crossings is bringing a new dimension to the problem. Figures show that more than 2,000 migrants have landed in Britain since Mr Burnham took up residence in No 10 a fortnight ago. Last week, the PM's attempts to brush off concerns about the never-ending flotilla from France were out of sync with the public mood. His tin-eared remarks failed to recognise Britons’ genuine concerns – on both security and cost grounds – about the number of undocumented people arriving here from overseas. Yet while he finally intervened yesterday and struck a more promising note, his comments were still lacking in specific details and commitments. He spoke about the need to deal with the situation, bring back control of our borders and provide the reassurance that the public demands. But everyone knows that already. As his premiership enters its third week, the PM needs to spell out in very precise terms how exactly he intends to deliver it all.