ILO Convention 190

Lord Hamilton of Epsom Excerpts

Monday 26th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

Well, I congratulate the noble Lord on getting through that question without mentioning the phrase “banter ban”. I am going to be absolutely clear: employers will not be penalised for failing to anticipate the unforeseeable or take other impractical steps. Employers cannot and are not expected to police or control every action of third parties. The measure does not change Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which applies in terms of interfering with the right to freedom of expression. It is clear that it is not about banning banter in a pub; it is about taking action against real hate, homophobia, racism and misogyny, which other customers or other workers should not have to face in this day and age.

[Lord Hamilton of Epsom (Con)]

Does the Minister agree that those in Downing Street should accept that the ILO convention applies to them as well when it comes to meting out violence and harassment on Labour colleagues whose only crime is that they think they could run the country better than the Prime Minister?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

To answer the noble Lord’s question, yes, of course it applies in all workplaces, but I am not going to tell the NEC how to do its business.