Boris Johnson Plots Workers' Rights 'Wrecking Ball'

Fury is mounting as the 48-hour working week, rules on breaks and holiday pay look to be up for grabs after Brexit - despite Boris Johnson's promises

The Prime Minister had said he would go even further than EU laws to protect workers in the UK. Uh-huh but what about …

The Financial Times revealed officials have looked at changing the 48-hour limit on the working week, known as the ‘working time directive’.

Officials also looked at tweaking rules around breaks and scrapping the need to factor overtime into holiday pay, or the need for firms to report working hours.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng - who in 2012 said Brits “are among the worst idlers in the world”, working “among the lowest hours” - today insisted “we are not going to lower the standards of workers’ rights”.

But neither Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng nor Downing Street denied the plans had been looked at, or ruled out putting them into action in future.

Asked if Boris Johnson viewed removing overtime from holiday pay or changing breaks counted as “lowering” workers’ rights, the PM’s spokesman refused to answer the question.

Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband said No10’s “silence” on the specific plans “speaks volumes” - and branded the plans a “wrecking ball” to hard-won rights.

Full story at The Mirror