Dozens of hereditary peers, including the Duke of Wellington and other landed aristocrats, have been criticised for voting to water down Labour's employment rights bill. The Lords supported a series of Conservative-backed amendments for the third consecutive time on Monday, aiming to curtail plans for guaranteed hours contracts and day-one unfair dismissal protections.
The vote saw 47 hereditary peers, 93 barons, 16 earls, and seven viscounts back the amendments. Among them was Charles Wellesley, the ninth Duke of Wellington, a crossbench hereditary peer and descendant of the victor of Waterloo. Trade union leaders and Labour figures condemned the move, with TUC general secretary Paul Nowak stating: 'The sight of unelected hereditary peers blocking stronger rights for millions belongs in another century – not modern Britain.'
Labour MP Justin Madders added that the peers' actions made them appear 'out of touch, undemocratic and firmly against the interest of working people'. The government has pledged to overturn the Lords amendments, despite business warnings that the changes could harm jobs and the economy. A Labour source described the amendments as 'pretty tone deaf', noting the bill was a manifesto commitment.
The Lords vote included prominent business figures such as Karren Brady, Ian Livingston, and Karan Bilimoria. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith urged the government to compromise, accusing Labour of bowing to 'trade union bullyboys'. However, unions like Unison backed the reforms, with general secretary Christina McAnea arguing that 'dukes, barons and earls shouldn't be standing in the way of sensible measures'.
