By bizn_fun 
So far, the reaction to the manifesto breach has been reserved to MPs on the left Labour Party.
However, the Labour leadership will be less comfortable if former deputy PM Angela Rayner – the architect of the initial proposals – expresses criticism. She has not responded to requests for comment.
The business department confirmed on Thursday that it still plans to bring in day-one sick pay and paternity leave rights from April 2026.
However, it is yet to confirm a start date for the new 6-month period. The previous plan to implement the right from day one had already been delayed to 2027.
The government does not need to pass the employment rights bill to change the qualifying period – it already has powers to do this under existing legislation, which the coalition government used in 2012, external to up the period to the current two years.
But writing the changes into a full Act of Parliament was meant to prevent the new rights being easily unpicked by a future government.
On Thursday, the business department said it was still committed to doing this, as a means to “further strengthen” the new protections.