MPs rush to support shopworkers Protect Christmas Day campaign

Sixty-eight Labour MPs have already signed a motion backing proposals for shopworkers to be protected from having to work on Christmas Day.

The Early Day Motion (EDM) was only tabled yesterday (Wednesday) and MPs were quick to show their support for shopworkers in England and Wales.

At present, the law permits shops to open as they like on 25th December, unless it falls on a Sunday. Although few large stores have so far chosen to open on Christmas Day, shopworkers genuinely fear that it is only a matter of time before they do so - and that, as there would not be enough volunteers, many would be forced to work.

Usdaw, the leading shopworkers' union, which has over 330,000 members, is campaigning for a ban on larger stores (those bigger than 3,000 square feet) opening on Christmas Day. Earlier this week, Usdaw General Secretary Sir Bill Connor and President Marge Carey were joined by Durham North MP Kevan Jones in presenting a 250,000-signature petition to Downing Street.

Kevan Jones will table a Private Member's Bill in the House of Commons on 7th January 2004. His Bill, supported by Usdaw, seeks to close a loophole in The Sunday Trading Act, which only bans larger stores from opening on Christmas Day if it falls on a Sunday. There is currently no protection given to Christmas Day if it falls on any other day of the week.

His efforts to win a change in the law were boosted by the flood of fellow-backbenchers who signed the early day motion backing his proposals.

The motion, tabled by Mr Jones, said: "The vast majority of shopworkers are parents who should be able to spend Christmas with their children. Current law offers no protection to such workers when Christmas Day does not fall on a Sunday. Christmas is an extremely busy and stressful period for shop workers and they deserve at least one day off."

Notes:

• Kevan Jones' Bill only applies to England and Wales. Karen Whitefield MSP is to bring a Private Member's Bill before the Scottish Parliament, calling for a ban on larger stores in Scotland opening on Christmas Day and New Year's Day

• Full list of the 68 MPs to have signed the EDM 327:

"That this House cherishes Christmas Day as a special day, particularly for families and children, and welcomes the campaign by Usdaw, the shop workers' union, on behalf of 2.6 million shop workers of the United Kingdom; regrets that many shops remain open on Christmas Day because employers put undue pressure on shop workers to abandon their family responsibilities on this important religious and public holiday; notes that the vast majority of shop workers are parents who should be able to spend Christmas with their children; also notes that current law offers no protection to such workers when Christmas Day does not fall on a Sunday; further notes that Christmas is an extremely busy and stressful period for shop workers and believes that they deserve at least one day off; and calls on the Government to protect shop workers on Christmas Day."

Signed by:

Mr Kevan Jones (Durham North); Mrs Irene Adams (Paisley North); Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North); Vera Baird (Redcar); Mr Bob Blizzard (Waveney); Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West); Mr Chris Bryant (Rhondda); Ms Karen Buck (Regent's Park and Kensington North); Mr Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley); Mr Colin Challen (Morley and Rothwell); Mr Michael Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone); Ann Coffey (Stockport); Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East); Jon Cruddas (Dagenham); Mr John Cummings (Easington); Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South); Mr Wayne David (Caerphilly); Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester); Mr Brian H Donohoe (Cunninghame South); Mr Frank Doran (Aberdeen Central); Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody (Crewe and Nantwich); Angela Eagle (Wallasey); Clive Efford (Eltham); Jeff Ennis (Barnsley East and Mexborough); Paul Farrelly (Newcastle-under-Lyme); Mr Derek Foster (Bishop Auckland); Dr Hywel Francis (Aberavon); Mr Win Griffiths (Bridgend); David Hamilton (Midlothian); Mr Dai Havard (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney); Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale); Mr Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North); Mr George Howarth (Knowsley North and Sefton East); Mr Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley); Mr Kevin Hughes (Doncaster North); Mr Brian Jenkins (Tamworth); Mr Peter Kilfoyle (Liverpool Walton); Andy King (Rugby and Kenilworth); Dr Ashok Kumar (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland); Ian Lucas (Wrexham); Mr Iain Luke (Dundee East); Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock); Alice Mahon (Halifax); John Mann (Bassetlaw); Rob Marris (Wolverhampton South West); Mr Eric Martlew (Carlisle); Mr John McFall (Dumbarton); Shona McIsaac (Cleethorpes); Ann McKechin (Glasgow Maryhill); Mr Chris Mole (Ipswich); Mr George Mudie (Leeds East); Linda Perham (Ilford North); Anne Picking (East Lothian); Mr Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East); Syd Rapson (Portsmouth North); John Robertson (Glasgow Anniesland); Mr Martin Salter (Reading West); Phil Sawford (Kettering); Ms Debra Shipley (Stourbridge); Geraldine Smith (Morecambe and Lunesdale); Mr John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan); Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside); Ms Dari Taylor (Stockton South); Gareth Thomas (Clwyd West); Mr Bill Tynan (Hamilton South); Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East); Brian White (Milton Keynes North East).

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