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Cameron defeated in Commons over plans to relax Sunday trading laws Cameron defeated in Commons over plans to relax Sunday trading laws
(35 minutes later)
David Cameron has suffered a defeat over his plans to relax Sunday trading laws, after Tory rebels teamed up with Labour and the SNP to reject the legislation. David Cameron has suffered a defeat over his plans to relax Sunday trading laws, after dozens of Tory rebels teamed up with Labour and the SNP to reject the legislation.
The government lost after it failed to reach a compromise with Conservative backbenchers, who argued that it was necessary to “keep Sunday special” and protect family time for shop workers. The government lost by 31 votes after it failed to reach a compromise with Conservative backbenchers, who argued that it was necessary to “keep Sunday special” and protect family time for shop workers.
Ministers attempted to make a last-minute deal by offering to roll out pilot schemes rather than relaxing the law across the country, but submitted its amendment too late to the Speaker, John Bercow. Ministers had attempted to make a last-minute deal by offering to roll out pilot schemes rather than relaxing the law across the country, but submitted its amendment too late to the Speaker, John Bercow.
It is understood No 10 then rang round Tory MPs to try to bring them on side but was unable to persuade enough to make a difference to the result.It is understood No 10 then rang round Tory MPs to try to bring them on side but was unable to persuade enough to make a difference to the result.
The plan would have allowed local councils to make a decision about whether to let larger stores stay open for longer than six hours on Sundays. The defeat is the first of this parliament in the House of Commons for Cameron, underlining the slimness of his majority and the ability of a handful of Tory backbenchers to block legislation.
An impact assessment released by the Department of Business ahead of the vote suggested liberalisation could benefit the UK economy by an estimated £1.5bn or more over 10 years. It is unlikely to be as damaging as the prime minister’s failure to win a vote on military action in Syria in 2013 but highlights the fractious mood of backbenchers in the runup to the referendum and budget.
The plan would have allowed local councils to make a decision about whether to let larger stores stay open for longer than six hours on Sundays, which ministers said could benefit the UK economy by an estimated £1.5bn or more over 10 years.
But a successful rebellion of around 26 Conservative MPs was led by David Burrowes, who laid an amendment to kill off the plans completely by striking them from the legislation.
The Burrowes amendment was supported by 317 MPs from across the parties, including Labour, the SNP, the DUP, some Tories and some Lib Dems, while 286 voted against it.
Speaking against the plans, Burrowes said: “We have a job to do in parliament, we don’t just devolve every decision out to our constituents.
“If we listen to our constituents ... I have many shop workers, many faith groups and many others saying why are we doing this? Why are we trying to unpick something that’s fairly settled?
“But why are we doing that? That’s me listening to my constituents. But also we have important principles as well, those are complex arrangements for Sunday trading and it’s a duty on us to look at it carefully, to consult widely and also scrutinise it fairly.
“None of those things have happened to the regard that did happen back in the 1990s and 1980s. It shouldn’t surprise us that we are in this situation now where there is a lot of concern, a lot of cross-party concern.”
Ministers had hoped to avoid a defeat by doing a deal with the SNP but the party decided to vote against the measures, even though Sunday trading laws are already relaxed in Scotland. The SNP said it acted to avoid a “knock-on impact to Scottish workers who would be at risk of pay cuts”.
Responding for the government, Sajid Javid, the business secretary, said he respected the will of MPs, who opposed the measures out of principle, despite the “extremely disappointing” result.
However, he condemned the “childish and hypocritical actions of the SNP” who had sought to deny shoppers in the rest of the UK the same freedoms enjoyed in Scotland and pointed out that a majority of English and Welsh MPs had voted in favour.
Angela Eagle, Labour’s shadow business secretary, said it was Labour who had led the charge against the government’s plans to deregulate Sunday trading.
“We support the current arrangements which work well and mean retailers can trade, customers can shop, and shop workers can spend time with their families,” she said.
“I warned the government that unless they pulled their plans then they would face a public and humiliating defeat on the floor of the House of Commons. That is exactly what we have delivered.
“The government must now listen to the settled will of the House of Commons and confirm that they will not attempt to bring back these plans, which were not in the Tory election manifesto, for a third time.”