Labour MPs criticise proposals to axe Sunday trading law
Proposals to axe Sunday trading laws to help the country recover from coronavirus have been criticised by MPs in the West Midlands.
Labour politicians in the region said the move – which would allow larger stores to open without the six-hour restrictions – would have a major impact on small businesses and “struggling” high streets.
It comes as they threw their weight behind trade union Usdaw which branded the proposals a “slap in the face” to workers.
But Government chiefs have stressed the move may be necessary in order to help the country recover from the impact of coronavirus.
Jack Dromey, MP for Birmingham Erdington and chairman of the West Midlands Group of Labour MPs, said: “Shopworkers across the West Midlands have kept the shelves stacked and the country going during coronavirus. We owe them an enormous debt.
“After their hard work it is simply wrong to force them to work longer hours and miss out on valuable time with their loved ones at the weekend. As Usdaw, the shopworkers union, has said, ‘shop workers need a break…not longer opening hours’.
“The Government’s plans would also impact the high street too. Our struggling high streets in the West Midlands do not need yet further competition from big supermarkets when it is small shops who have been most affected by the coronavirus lockdown.
“As chair of the West Midlands Group of Labour MPs, we fully support Usdaw’s call for the Government to reject extending Sunday trading hours and instead support our high streets and town centres through the desperate and uncertain times ahead.”
Usdaw – which has more than 400,000 members – represents the retail sector in the country, where many of its members join from.
Gavin Dadley, the union’s Midlands Divisional Officer, said: “We welcome the support of Jack Dromey and all the West Midlands Labour MPs.
'Opportunistic'
“Our West Midlands members remain overwhelmingly opposed to longer Sunday trading hours and they appreciate that their views are heard by our parliamentary representatives.
“This move to deregulate Sunday trading hours appears to be an opportunistic use of the coronavirus crisis and a slap in the face for each and every worker in retail and the food supply chain.
“The Government should instead ensure these low-paid key workers are valued and receive the pay and job security they deserve.
“Each time, we have shown that there is no credible economic case in favour of deregulating Sunday trading, because the fact remains that opening stores for longer does not mean customers have more money to spend.
"That’s why the majority of retailers do not support deregulating Sunday trading, which would not provide any real help to the retail sector as it looks to how to recover from the crisis.
“Retailers can trade, customers can shop, staff can work; whilst Sunday remains a special day, different to other days, and shopworkers can spend some time with their family.”
