# UK's Burnham pledges to loosen non-compete rules for startups

> UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham promises to ease startup non-compete rules without full ban.
- Title: UK's Burnham pledges to loosen non-compete rules for startups
- Summary: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham promises to ease startup non-compete rules without full ban. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will legislate to reduce…
- Keywords: andy burnham, non-compete rules, startups, government, legislation, innovation, business, UK's, Burnham, pledges, loosen, non-compete
- Source: Dealroom — https://dealroom.co/news/161197-uks-burnham-pledges-to-loosen-non-compete-rules-for-startups
- Published: 2026-10-09T13:51:36+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: uk, andy burnham, non-compete rules, startups, government, legislation, innovation, business
## Burnham pledges non-compete rule changes
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed he will legislate to ease restrictive non-compete clause rules for workers at a Manchester innovation summit.

> will no longer be a barrier to hiring for our most promising start-ups and scaling firms
## Scope remains open for debate
Burnham stopped short of committing to a full ban and has not set out how far the rules will go, leaving scope for future legislation.
## Endgame: innovation sector focus
Burnham called the action the 'Bosman ruling for the innovation sector' to reshape how workers move between companies without stifling innovation.

> stunt innovation
## Key takeaway

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham will legislate to reduce restrictive non-compete clauses for startups but has not committed to a full ban.