How the Tories can redeem themselves in the eyes of the self-employed

Private members’ bills don’t normally make for exciting reading. They give MPs and peers a chance to let off steam if they have a bee in their bonnet, and more importantly to lay down fairly cheap political markers. Most sink without trace, since the government through its control of the Commons legislative timetable has an effective veto. But some are worth a second look. One such is Lord Hendy’s Status of Workers Bill, which got its second reading in the Lords last Friday.

Currently, businesses love the idea of designating as much of their payroll as possible as self-employed independent contractors rather than employees. And not surprisingly: it saves them the problems of PAYE, providing such things as sick and holiday pay, following employment laws and looking after such people as employees expect. Workers might of course see things differently. But that’s the gig economy for you: now, do you want the job or not?

Earlier this year the Supreme Court made life a tad more difficult for such employers when it told