Labour leader Keir Starmer promised Brighton workers that the party would ban fire and rehire practices if elected into government.

Sir Keir was attending the GMB Congress at the Brighton Centre, where he outlined his plan for working people.

He was asked a question by a man who gave his name as Joshua, an Asda worker at the Brighton Marina, who said some 7,000 of his colleagues in South East England face a pay cut amounting to 60p an hour - with anyone not accepting risking the prospect fire and rehire.

When asked what his message to Asda would be, Sir Keir said: “My message is very clear - we would ban fire and rehire, it’s as simple as that. It just needs to be done.”

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However, he said that this can only be achieved by ensuring a Labour government is elected next year.

“We’ve pushed the government - they say it’s the wrong thing to do, but they don’t do anything about it, so we’re going to be stuck with it, unless we win the election,” Sir Keir said.

“If we win that election, we will ban it. This government is not going to budge on it, they know what they’re doing, so we have to go on and make the argument, win the election and ban it.”

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To loud applause and cheers during his speech, Sir Keir committed to strengthening the role of trade unions, banning zero-hour contracts, extending parental leave, ensuring better protection for pregnant women, strengthening flexible working and closing the ethnicity gap.

Addressing delegates, he said: “The average British family is £8,800 poorer than in other advanced economies.

“Economies like France, Germany and the Netherlands - economies that have better collective bargaining, have stronger workers’ rights and a fairer share of wealth across their country.

“So we will strengthen the role of trade unions and our society - and like you, I want to see Amazon and businesses like it recognise trade unions.”

It was the first speech made by Sir Keir to the GMB Congress in person, after previously addressing delegates remotely in 2021.

At the start of his speech, he said it was "always a pleasure to be in Brighton in the sunshine, especially when the sun is beginning to shine on Labour's arguments."