# Burnham to ease non-compete rules for workers

> UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will legislate to loosen restrictive non-compete clauses, but stops short of a full ban.
- Title: Burnham to ease non-compete rules for workers · POLITICO
- Summary: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will legislate to loosen restrictive non-compete clauses, but stops short of a full ban. Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed…
- Keywords: andy burnham, non-compete clauses, uk government, workers, legislation, tech startups, politics, world, Burnham, ease, non-compete, rules
- Source: POLITICO — https://politico.eu/article/andy-burnham-vows-to-ease-non-compete-clauses
- Published: 2026-10-09T11:42:58+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: andy burnham, non-compete clauses, uk government, workers, legislation, tech startups, politics, world
## Burnham backs non-compete reform
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed Friday he will legislate to ease restrictive non-compete clause rules for workers but stopped short of committing to a ban.

> make sure that non-compete clauses will no longer be a barrier to hiring for our most promising start-ups and scaling firms
## Burnham compares move to Bosman ruling
Speaking at a government-backed innovation summit in Manchester, Burnham said the government's action would be the Bosman ruling for the innovation sector, referencing a nineteen ninety five European Court of Justice decision that changed football…

> Bosman ruling for the innovation sector
## Tech and finance firms clash over changes
The vow comes after intense lobbying for and against restrictions. UK tech start-ups claim curbs undermine economic growth, while City firms and trade bodies including TheCityUK and the Managed Funds Association oppose any changes.
## Key takeaway

Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed he will legislate to ease non-compete clauses for workers, though he has not committed to a complete ban.