Mrs May’s bold foray into Labour territory

REMOANERS like to complain that without EU protection for workers, Brexit will be a charter for ruthless employers to turn factories and offices into sweatshops.

Today, Theresa May will make clear that nothing could be further from her mind.

Pledging ‘ the greatest expansion in workers’ rights by any Conservative government’, she will promise not only to retain all rights guaranteed by EU law, but to build on them.

Under her, the living wage will increase in line with median earnings, workers will be represented in boardrooms and pensions will be safeguarded from greedy employers to prevent a repeat of the BHS affair.

There will also be new statutory rights to take leave after the death of a child or look after a sick family member, protection for those suffering mental health problems and more time off for training or retraining.

Along with her commitment to build more council houses, ‘this workers’ revolution’ amounts to an audacious foray into traditional Labour territory.

Indeed, though many of these rights are already granted by the best employers, some will raise eyebrows among Tories wary of state intervention in private firms.

True, the Prime Minister’s plans should make the Tories more attractive to voters in the Labour heartlands who have hitherto dismissed them as the bosses’ party.

But her challenge now is to match these rights with authentic Conservative policies to stimulate the growth that alone can pay for better working conditions.

This means keeping up relentless downward pressure on taxes, while investing in essential infrastructure and slashing red tape wherever possible.

If she can pull off the double act of extending workers’ rights while helping firms grow, she will truly prove her claim to govern for everyone.