Mayors to Keir... We must keep promise to workers

Seven say vow to stand by New Deal is critical

- Lizzy buchan

MOVES to bolster workers' rights must stay at the top of Labour's agenda, the party's metro mayors warn today.

The alert comes after speculation that plans could be watered down despite leader Keir Starmer vowing the New Deal for Working People will be brought forward within the first 100 days of a Labour government.

The move will give all workers employment rights from their first day in a job, and ban zero hours contracts.

In a joint article for the Mirror, Labour's powerful regional leaders, including Andy Burnham, Sadiq Khan and Tracy Brabin, said the blueprint is critical for the lives of ordinary people - and the party's election chances.

The mayors also compared critics of the plan to those who opposed the National Minimum Wage 25 years ago and predicted mass unemployment.

Business chiefs have reportedly been lobbying Labour to water the proposals down.

And Labour peer Peter Mandelson sparked a backlash from colleagues for saying last month that the reforms must not be introduced too quickly.

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said this week that Labour wants to make sure "all of our policies work and that means they've got to work for businesses and working people as well".

Labour's metro mayors Andy Burnham, Sadiq Khan, Tracy Brabin, Oliver Coppard, Nik Johnson, Steve Rotheram and Dan Norris write for the Mirror...