A former cabinet minister will join activists today to demand that the government uses its Employment Rights Bill to outlaw the abusive use of non-disclosure agreements.
Labour MP Louise Haigh, who resigned as transport secretary in November, will join campaigners this afternoon to deliver a petition to 10 Downing Street calling for a ban on the misuse of NDAs in cases of workplace harassment, discrimination and abuse.
The petition, signed by more than 91,000 people in just three weeks, comes seven years after former prime minister Theresa May initially promised reform, and the day before the Bill is debated in the House of Lords.
The committee stage in the Lords will include Baroness Helena Kennedy’s amendment to stop the misuse of NDAs, which has cross-party support and is co-sponsored by Baroness Frances O’Grady, former general secretary of the TUC, and Baroness Susan Kramer, a former transport minister in the coalition government.
Misuse of NDAs
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The politicians are joined by Zelda Perkins, co-founder of Can’t Buy My Silence, and campaigners from 38 Degrees.
The action is also backed by Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, and Greg Smith, shadow spokesperson for the Employment Rights Bill, and the singer Rebecca Ferguson.
Haigh said: “NDAs have now become prolific in every industry and are being routinely abused to silence victims of harassment and discrimination.
“There is not a single argument that can be made against banning their misuse and, now that we have a Labour government that has put employment rights at the heart of its agenda, it must act.”
Perkins, who exposed Harvey Weinstein’s behaviour to his company, Miramax, in 1998 and adhered to the terms of an NDA for 20 years before she spoke out about his actions, said: “After six years of government inquiries and consultations which consistently show the devastating impact of NDAs on victims, Labour has a responsibility to do the right thing.
“Not only does this harm individuals; hiding abuse directly impacts our business culture and the economy. If the appalling evidence and testimonies of victims is not compelling enough, then the damage to the economy should be.”
Fresh polling from worker-led platform Organise, released today, reveals that the use of NDAs to silence victims of misconduct remains widespread across almost every major sector in the UK.
More than 2,000 people completed the survey which found that 29% of respondents have signed an NDA (21% say they had signed, and 8% said they “cannot say”).
One quarter (24%) of respondents reported knowing someone who has signed an agreement requiring them to stay quiet about abuse, harassment, or discrimination in the workplace. Sectors reporting NDA use included charities, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, local government and education.
Ferguson said: “The era of silencing survivors with NDAs must end now. These legal gag orders have shielded predators, perpetuated injustice, and allowed power to trample truth for far too long. In 2025, we demand legislation that bans NDAs being used to cover up wrongdoing. No more secrecy. No more intimidation. No more letting institutions prioritise reputation over justice.”
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