MP joins fight against extended Sunday trading (From Gazette Series)

MP joins fight against extended Sunday trading

STROUD MP David Drew has joined over 100 other MPs in a fight against extending Sunday trading hours.

A number of MPs from all parties have signed an Early Day Motion (EDM) opposing any relaxation in the number of hours larger shops can open on Sundays.

Mr Drew said he can see no reason for extending trading hours.

He said: "Why do we need to keep shopping?

"There are a number of reasons why it should stay as it is."

Under the Sunday Trading Act of 1994 larger shops, such as Tesco and Sainsbury's, can only open for six hours providing smaller shops the opportunity to monopolise the market for one day of the week.

However, these hours could be extended to nine if a proposal to liberalise the rules, put forward by Trade Secretary Alan Johnson last month, is given the go ahead.

Approximately 130 MPs have signed the EDM which argues against extending opening hours. Signatories believe Sunday should be kept as a family day and a day of worship.

Those who signed the EDM also expressed concern about the impact extended opening hours would have on retail workers, their families and the wider community with particular attention drawn to congestion in town centres and the threat posed to smaller traders.

Mr Drew said something must be done to protect workers and independent local shops.

He said: "What we need to remember is that to have access to these facilities on a Sunday someone has to work and by granting longer opening hours we will see the end of smaller shops.

"Unless we want our towns to be controlled by large supermarkets we have to act."

The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw), which has 341,000 members working in the retail sector, has backed opposition to the extension of trading hours and is pleased with the response in parliament.

John Hannett, Usdaw general secretary, said: "I'm delighted the EDM has attracted such solid cross party support.

"Nearly two-thirds of the British public are opposed to any extension of Sunday trading hours as are the vast majority of our members who will feel under pressure to work longer if the hours are extended."