Britain not a civilised place to work - Meacher

Michael Meacher has launched his fifth book: “The State We Need: Keys to the Renaissance of Britain”. The book explores themes including the economy, environment and finance and offers alternative solutions to the current status quo.

MICHAEL Meacher has accused the Government of taking a sledgehammer to employment rights in a step back to the employment conditions of the 1920s.

The Oldham West and Royton MP accused the Government of making Britain an uncivilised society to work in.

Speaking in the Commons in his backbench debate on employment rights, he criticised the Government for increasing fees to start employment tribunals, limiting compensation for unfair dismissal and allowing zero-hour contracts offering no guarantee of work to more than a million workers.

The MP said: “Britain will not be a civilised place to work until all workers are paid at least the living wage, free access to justice for aggrieved workers is fully restored, bogus self-employment is ended, health and safety regulations are independently enforced in all dangerous occupations and zero-hours contracts and agency work are strictly regulated or eliminated.”

Mr Meacher said the Government was grinding down pay and terms and conditions of the most vulnerable and poorest in society while the richest get richer.