Politics · 16 August 2026

Thinktanks urge Andy Burnham to prosecute firms denying rights to gig workers

Roughly four million people are losing out on basic benefits like parental leave and sick pay because of fake self-employment. Two leading thinktanks want the Fair Work Agency, a government watchdog, to take legal action against businesses exploiting this gap. Labour originally promised to simplify the system for gig workers, but dropped the fix from its recent employment bill following heavy pressure from bosses.

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