Growth and Infrastructure Bill
Debate between John McDonnell and Jonathan Edwards
John McDonnell
With the greatest respect to the hon. Gentleman, I disagree. We have heard this argument about the overburdening of regulation year after year, and it is usually used as a justification to give employers the facility to sack people, cut their wages or undermine their employment rights.
Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) (PC)
Did not the last intervention let the cat out of the bag? This is essentially about deregulating the labour market via the back door.
John McDonnell
It is, but I was trying to be a bit more subtle about the process of allegation—I appreciate that it does not really suit my style of speaking.
The point I am trying to make is that, in addition to the process of selling rights, the scheme will not just be unworkable—because its implementation will increase burdensome regulation even more, as my hon. Friends have said—but will act as a deterrent against positive moves towards the development of share ownership and worker engagement in companies. On that basis, I think that, apart from being iniquitous, this measure will be counter-productive. That is why I wholeheartedly agree with the points my hon. Friend the shadow Secretary of State made in support of the Lords amendment.