Scottish National Party drops Sunday trading opposition

The government’s latest attempt to liberalise Sunday trading protections is expected to clear the House of Commons next week, after the Scottish National Party dropped its opposition to the plans.

The government's latest attempt to liberalise Sunday trading protections is expected to clear the House of Commons next week, after the Scottish National Party (SNP) dropped its opposition to the plans.

The plans to give local councils power to extend Sunday shopping hours were initially to be included in the Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill.

But the government was forced to postpone the plans in November, when prominent Conservative backbenchers joined with Labour and the SNP with the intention to defeat the Bill.

The plans have since been slipped into the Enterprise Bill at the last moment, in a bid to minimise opposition.

The SNP had previously announced its intention to vote against the move to devolve Sunday trading protections to councils, despite it only applying in England, over fears that Scottish workers’ wages and jobs would be at risk from increased competition south of the border.

However, it appears that the SNP has now softened its stance, clearing the way for the proposals to pass through the Commons next week.

'Dirty deal'

While it is unclear what has swayed the SNP, the shadow business secretary, Angela Eagle, has accused the government and the SNP of doing a "dirty deal", linking recent negotiations between the Treasury and the SNP for more devolved powers.

She says: "It's hard to avoid the suspicion that the SNP have not been playing their own games and doing a dirty deal with the Tory government to get what they wanted on the fisc'al framework in return for throwing the shop-workers to the wolves."

A Treasury source denied that a backhand deal had been done, but acknowledged that there had been "back-channel discussions" between the SNP and the government.

Hannah Bardell, the SNP's business spokeswoman, went further, claiming that the SNP had never been opposed to more Sunday trading and welcomed 'increased protections' from the government.

'Lack of transparency'

Last month the government faced criticism after publishing the long-awaited results of its consultation on plans to extend Sunday trading hours.

The response has been criticised over a lack of transparency, as it focuses on supportive responses from those who would benefit economically or politically from longer opening hours. Meanwhile, it downplays the many responses that expressed opposition to the plans.

At the time, CEO of Christian Concern Andrea Williams said that the government had wilfully ignored the views and needs of many, while intentionally highlighting the responses that were in agreement with its determination to relax Sunday trading protections:

"This deliberate lack of transparency is designed to make it seem as if the government is acting according to the majority's wishes. Yet, on closer reading, it is evident that this is not the case.

"The government claims that it wishes 'local communities' to decide what is best, yet it ignores the many concerns about the impact longer opening hours will have on family life. Weakening the family unit further by removing our day of shared rest will only serve to destabilise community life, not enhance it.

"Many Christian Concern supporters responded with very real concerns, and we thank them for their support. Yet these responses, along with the views of several other groups, have been ignored."

Take action

As the amendment to liberalise Sunday trading protections will be voted on in the Enterprise Bill next week, it is more important than ever to make your voice heard.

Please contact your MPs, asking them to raise some of the following concerns during the third reading of the Enterprise Bill. For a useful list of points you can make to your MP visit Christian Concern's latest Action Alert.