May sets out proposals to protect rights of workers in ‘gig economy’

● PM says aim to help those ‘just about managing’ is ‘undimmed’

Theresa May insisted her determination to change Britain in the interests of those who are “just about managing” remains “undimmed” as she set out plans to protect the rights of workers.

In her first major speech since the general election debacle in which she lost her parliamentary majority, the Prime Minister said she would act to defend workers’ rights, following the publication of Matthew Taylor’s report on the so-called “gig economy”.

And she appealed to other political parties to put forward their proposals for debate and discussion ahead of the government’s full response to the report later in the year.

Mrs May acknowledged that the election result – which left her at the head of a minority government dependent on the support of the Democratic Unionist Party – was “not what I wanted”.

However, she insisted that

0 Theresa May says she will act to defend workers’ rights in the wake of the gig economy report she would press forward with the reform agenda she set out when she first arrived in 10 Downing Street a year ago, saying: “My commitment to changing Britain is undimmed.”

Mrs May said the govern- ment’s response to the Taylor Report would be guided by the aim of ensuring that “the interests of employees on traditional contracts, the self-employed and those people working in the ‘gig’ economy are all properly protected”.

But she insisted that Britain must avoid “overbearing regulation”, retain flexibility in the labour market and remain “a home to innovation, new ideas and new business models”.

Mrs May said it was important to ensure that zerohours contracts do not allow employers to “exploit” workers, but rejected Labour’s call for them to be banned, warn- ing that this would “harm more people than it would help”.

The Taylor Report recommended the creation of a new category of worker in employment law called a “dependent contractor” to cover those who are not full-time employees but do not enjoy the autonomy traditionally seen as part of self-employment.

Mr Taylor – a former adviser to Tony Blair who is now chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) – set out seven “principles for fair and decent work”, including: n A goal of “good work for all” n Additional protections for workers suffering unfair, onesided flexibility n Stronger incentives for firms to treat workers fairly n A more proactive approach to workplace health.

But his report won a lukewarm response from unions and employment lawyers, who said it did little to help the growing number of workers in delivery and taxi firms such as Deliveroo and Uber.

TUC general secretary Frances O’grady said: “This review is not the game-changer needed to end insecurity and exploitation at work.”