Will May’s Matthew Taylor Review actually do anything for a ‘fairer Britain’?

The trouble with the Prime Minister is that, as the last year has demonstrated, there is a yawning gap between her rhetoric and the reality of what her Government has actually done as the manager of UK plc

Mrs May has backed away from radical proposals that would have given workers representation on the boards of the companies that employ them (Reuters)

It should come as no surprise that there has been a series of carefully co-ordinated leaks ahead of Theresa May’s big relaunch.

They’ve primarily focussed on the review into the gig economy by Matthew Taylor, a former advisor to Tony Blair, which is expected to call for a series of extra rights for those involved in the new forms of insecure work that have become a growing part of the British economy.

His report is expected to recommend the creation of a new form of worker - “dependent contractors”. These people, who have gigs with firms such as Uber and Deliveroo, might in future receive sick pay, and holiday pay. They might also be covered by at least some of the minimum wage regulations.

The Government will further be urged to extend its industrial strategy to address the lot of poorly paid workers; those on the minimum wage, or something close to it.

The Low Pay Commission may even be given new responsibilities to somehow address their job satisfaction (with the aim of addressing Britain’s longstanding productivity problems).

I’ll look at the report in more detail when it arrives tomorrow. But it is significant that the briefings about its content emerged when they did.

They were clearly designed to provide a favourable soundtrack to the reiteration by May of her central promise to create a “fairer Britain”.

The trouble with the Prime Minister is that, as the last year has demonstrated, there is a yawning gap between her rhetoric and the reality of what her Government has actually done as the manager of UK plc.

When she took power, May boldly pledged a Britain that worked for everyone and not just for the few.

She tabled some radical proposals to that end to, up to and including giving workers a spot on the boards of the companies that employ them. Then she backed away from them.

Now we learn (through more weekend briefings) that even her more modest proposals, such as a pledge to give shareholders more power to curb bosses pay, and one to make companies publish pay ratios, are on hold for at least two years.

It should be noted at this point that she’s had very little to say about traditional workers’ rights, which the Conservative Party has steadily been eroding. Under her predecessor, David Cameron, for example, they were told that they would have to pay up to £1,200 to approach an employment tribunal, depending on the nature of the claim.

The time they have to work for an employer before being allowed to do that was also raised from one year to two, while the rights of unions were clipped (once again). British union legislation is now some of the most repressive in Europe.

If May were to take concrete action towards addressing issues like those, who knows, maybe she could secure the cross party support she says she is seeking. The problem is that “if”.

Here’s another of those: if the efforts to improve life for workers in the gig economy, and for the low waged, are backed with substantive legislation, and if her Government stands firm against the push back that will greet some of the proposals, then great.

May’s record doesn’t bode well, however.

The Prime Minister’s “fairer Britain” rhetoric will only be credible if it is backed by action. The British economy will only work for the many, and not the few, if legislation is designed to make it happen effect. There is scant sign of it.

A majority of voters gave their judgement on the rhetoric vs the economic, employment and business reality at the General Election.

The polls suggest that even less of them will be willing to take what she says on trust when the next one comes along. We’ll likely be there within a matter of months.