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Hello, I'm Sean Curran, and this is yesterday in Parliament from BBC Radio 4.

On Tuesday, the 28th of October, the government was defeated over its plans to give workers

new rights to challenge unfair dismissal. Members of the House of Lords argued that the changes

would make employers reluctant to hire new staff. It's one of Parliament's many unwritten rules.

The House of Lords doesn't block government bills that deliver on election promises. But

ministers have yet to convince peers to sign up to Labour's manifesto pledge

to protect workers in England, Scotland and Wales from unfair dismissal from day one in a job.

The proposal is part of the Employment Rights Bill, which is currently pinging between the Commons

and the Lords as the two houses try to iron out their differences.

A minister, Lord Collins, thought it was time for the upper house to back down.

We remain committed to make work pay manifesto pledge to introduce unfair dismissal protection

from day one of employment.

This will ensure the approximately 9 million employees who have worked for their employer for less than two years are able to challenge the fairness

of a decision to dismiss them. His job had been made harder by business groups and the influential think tank

the Resolution Foundation who'd argued that the government's plan would make it harder for companies

to hire people. Lord Collins said there would be a nine-month probation period when employers

would be able to dismiss someone and there would be consultations, meaning any changes wouldn't come into effect until 2027.

For the Liberal Democrats, Lord Fox complained that even when the bill became law,

no one would know the details of what it would do.

This creates an environment of deep uncertainty, my lord.

Uncertainty is the enemy of investment. Uncertainty

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