MP welcomes defeat of Sunday trading bill

Oldham MP Jim McMahon

LABOUR MP Jim McMahon says more than 100 workers contacted him to oppose Government plans to extend Sunday trading hours — a bill he spoke against before MPs voted it out.

The Government’s plans to extend Sunday trading hours for large retailers were defeated in the Commons.

Mr McMahon, MP for Oldham West and Royton, said: “I’m against extending Sunday trading laws to allow longer opening times. I partly think that the Chancellor George Osborne is clutching at anything he hopes will lead to greater economic growth, and supermarkets are undoubtedly important in that.

“It is also highly likely that the chief executive of a large national supermarket chain is much more likely to get the ear of the Chancellor than a shop worker concerned about what these changes will mean for family life, terms and conditions and pay.

“There hasn’t been a loud and active support for this; in fact I have only had one email during the whole campaign and that was from supermarket giant Asda. In contrast I’ve had over a hundred emails and messages from workers against the move.”


In other news, Jim McMahon has been appointed to the Local Government Select Committee.

The MP will serve on the committee that monitors the policy, administration and spending of the Department of Communities and Government.

The 11-member cross-party committee sets its own programmes and chooses subjects for inquiry.

Mr McMahon said: “I am delighted to have been appointed. I have extensive experience and insight of local government as former leader of Oldham Council and leader of Labour for the Local Government Association.”