Starmer attacks Greens, saying vote for Labour rivals puts new workers’ rights at risk

## Summary
Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Starmer attacks Greens, saying vote for Labour rivals puts new workers’ rights at risk PM also criticises business figures and opponents of changes, many of which come into force on Monday Workers, pensioners and children: all better off. Ignore the critics – we really are standing up for working people Keir Starmer has used a series of new workers rights that come into force on Monday to attack the Green party, saying a vote for Labour’s rivals puts such progress on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts at risk. However, in a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of Zack Polanski’s Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the run-up to local elections in May, Starmer said that having “a serious, credible economic strategy” set Labour apart from others. “No other party offers both the economic credibility and the political will to do this,” he wote in an article for the Guardian. “A vote for any other party puts that progress at risk – whether through choices that would take us backwards, or approaches that simply don’t stand up to the realities of governing.” Measures that come into force on Monday include the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, a key demand of child poverty campaigners and Labour MPs. Explore more on these topics Keir Starmer Workers' rights Labour Green party Reform UK Conservatives Local elections 2026 Share Reuse this content

## Article Content
In a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of the Greens and Reform UK, Starmer said that only Labour had ‘a serious, credible economic strategy’.
Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
View image in fullscreen
In a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of the Greens and Reform UK, Starmer said that only Labour had ‘a serious, credible economic strategy’.
Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Starmer attacks Greens, saying vote for Labour rivals puts new workers’ rights at risk
PM also criticises business figures and opponents of changes, many of which come into force on Monday
Workers, pensioners and children: all better off. Ignore the critics – we really are standing up for working people
Keir Starmer has used a series of new workers rights that come into force on Monday to attack the Green party, saying a vote for Labour’s rivals puts such progress on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts at risk.
The prime minister also took a swipe at business figures and opponents of what he described as the biggest strengthening of workers’ rights in a generation,
dismissing “vested interests” who had warned against them.
However, in a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of Zack Polanski’s Greens and Nigel Farage’s
Reform UK
in the run-up to local elections in May, Starmer said that having “a serious, credible economic strategy” set Labour apart from others.
“No other party offers both the economic credibility and the political will to do this,” he wote in an article for the Guardian.
“A vote for any other party puts that progress at risk – whether through choices that would take us backwards, or approaches that simply don’t stand up to the realities of governing.”
Measures that come into force on Monday include the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, a key demand of child poverty campaigners and
Labour
MPs. Starmer described the move as one of the proudest moments of his government.
Other measures coming into force on Monday include a 4.8% increase in the state pension to £241.30 a week and a 2.3% rise in universal credit standard allowance.
Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, statutory sick pay becomes a right from day one of becoming ill. Workers will also become entitled to paternity and unpaid parental leave from the first day of employment.
Labour is eager to brandish the measures as significant achievements as it braces itself for potentially heavy losses in English council and mayoral elections on 7 May amid challenges from Reform on the right and the Greens on the left. There are also elections in Scotland and Wales to their national parliaments.
While Labour has been concerned about Reform since the general election, it has also increasingly been turning its sights on the
Green party
since the latter won the previously safe Labour stronghold of Gorton and Denton.
The latest
YouGov polling on Westminster voting intention had the Greens in joint second place
, behind Reform. Polling released on Sunday by the former Tory treasurer Lord Ashcroft indicated a three-way split between the Greens, Conservatives and Reform. Each were on 21%, with Labour on 17%.
Starmer’s comments appear to affirm a recent pivot to to the left, amid pressure from potential leadership contenders including Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham.
“At every stage, we faced those same voices of opposition,” the prime minister wrote of the measures, which had been met with resistance from some business leaders. That opposition had focused on so-called “day one rights”, which give more power to workers to claim unfair dismissal and request flexible working.
“They warned of costs, of disruptions, and said the time was not right. But once again, we made a different choice. We chose working people,” said Starmer.
“Nothing Labour has achieved came easily. Every success was hard fought and hard won against the pull of vested interests. And each time, those warnings were proven wrong.”
The prime minister presented the introduction of a series of measures in the tradition of the Blair government’s introduction of the minimum wage 27 years ago this week.
At the same time, Starmer’s leadership has also continued to face trenchant criticism on the left from Unite, traditionally one of Labour’s largest trade union backers. Its general secretary, Sharon Graham,
has described
the Employment Rights Act as “a shell of its former self”. Last month, the union significantly cut membership fees to Labour, mainly over the
Birmingham
bin strike.
The scrapping of the two-child benefit cap, which was was introduced in 2015 budget by the then Conservative chancellor, George Osborne, was criticised by the Tories, who said it would cost billions and “reward worklessness”.
The party published what it said was analysis showing that at least £1bn extra every year would go to 186,000 workless households, with a family of two unemployed adults and three children standing to receive a £6,400 income increase.
It added that the gains were heav

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Ignore the critics – we really are standing up for working people Keir Starmer has used a series of new workers rights that come into force on Monday to attack the Green party, saying a vote for Labour’s rivals puts such progress on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts at risk.
- However, in a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of Zack Polanski’s Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the run-up to local elections in May, Starmer said that having “a serious, credible economic strategy” set Labour apart from others. “No other party offers both the economic credibility and the political will to do this,” he wote in an article for the Guardian. “A vote for any other party puts that progress at risk – whether through choices that would take us backwards, or approaches that simply don’t stand up to the realities of governing.” Measures that come into force on Monday include the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, a key demand of child poverty campaigners and Labour MPs.
- Labour is eager to brandish the measures as significant achievements as it braces itself for potentially heavy losses in English council and mayoral elections on 7 May amid challenges from Reform on the right and the Greens on the left.
- Every success was hard fought and hard won against the pull of vested interests.

### Areas for Consideration
- In a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of the Greens and Reform UK, Starmer said that only Labour had ‘a serious, credible economic strategy’.
- Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA View image in fullscreen In a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of the Greens and Reform UK, Starmer said that only Labour had ‘a serious, credible economic strategy’.
- Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Starmer attacks Greens, saying vote for Labour rivals puts new workers’ rights at risk PM also criticises business figures and opponents of changes, many of which come into force on Monday Workers, pensioners and children: all better off.

### Implications
- In a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of the Greens and Reform UK, Starmer said that only Labour had ‘a serious, credible economic strategy’.
- Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA View image in fullscreen In a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of the Greens and Reform UK, Starmer said that only Labour had ‘a serious, credible economic strategy’.
- However, in a sign of how he views the threat from the populism of Zack Polanski’s Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the run-up to local elections in May, Starmer said that having “a serious, credible economic strategy” set Labour apart from others. “No other party offers both the economic credibility and the political will to do this,” he wote in an article for the Guardian. “A vote for any other party puts that progress at risk – whether through choices that would take us backwards, or approaches that simply don’t stand up to the realities of governing.” Measures that come into force on Monday include the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, a key demand of child poverty campaigners and Labour MPs.
- Workers will also become entitled to paternity and unpaid parental leave from the first day of employment.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers labour, starmer, reform topics. Notable strengths include discussion of labour. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 907.