Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill

Debate between Anthony Browne and Imran Hussain

Friday 22nd October 2021 Commons Chamber

[Imran Hussain]

This is a serious debate, where working people are looking towards this House for guidance on an important issue. The hon. Gentleman, I have to say, may on occasion make a decent point, but today is not that day for him. He needs to look again at the point he made.

[Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

I want to follow up on that point. The hon. Gentleman says we are fabricating news. Would he like to explain why a senior Labour MP is reported as criticising Labour’s employment practices? They have said:

“To learn that our party are now using what can only be described as fire and rehire appals me. It is everything we as a party should be aggressively opposing.”

That is after the Labour party made a whole load of redundancies and then appointed people in exactly the same departments. It is not fake news.

[Imran Hussain]

That point has already been clarified. Let me echo the point that my hon. Friend the Member for Brent North made earlier. Fire and rehire is an abhorrent practice, regardless of who is involved. I do not understand why Conservative Members seems to think this is an opportunity for them to stand up one after the other and make a point that has already been addressed.