A bill backed by a duo dubbed the "Bolton Mafia" became law after it received Royal Assent from His Majesty King Charles III.

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill passed after it received cross-party support in the Commons and the Lords.

The bill backed by Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi and Labour Peer Baroness Ann Taylor of Bolton allows employees the right to ask for flexible working from their first day of employment and to do so twice every 12 months.

Currently, employees are allowed to ask after six months and only once every 12 months.

It binds employers to come to a decision on a request in two months and to consult if the decision is to refuse the request.

The Conservative Party and the Labour Party committed to make flexible working the norm in their manifestos for the last elections four years ago which is why the bill cleared the Commons and the Lords despite its origin on the benches of the opposition.

On July 14, it passed the Houses of Parliament and on July 20, it became law after it received Royal Assent from King Charles.

Baroness Taylor said: "The bill will help to make flexible working more available to more people and to allow people in a broader range of circumstances to be able to contribute to our economy. It must benefit everyone. 

"It is a small measure but it is a significant measure and I am grateful for all the support the house has given to its passage."

Ms Qureshi, who is also the shadow minister for women and equalities, said: "The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act will make it easier for employees to access flexible working and will encourage employers to think about what working arrangements they can offer when advertising vacancies.

"For many of the UK's 17.5 million working parents and carers, the ability to access flexibility could be the difference between quitting work or reducing working hours to meet their caring responsibilities and staying in their job and maintaining their income.

"No one should be held back in their career because of where they live, what house they can afford, or their responsibility to family. 

"This is the right thing to do for workers, families, and our economy."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.