David Burrowes MP described the 9 March Commons vote on the Sunday Trading Bill as ‘a relief ’. The result of 317 to 286 saw the plans to open up shops for longer on Sundays defeated as he led a cross-party ‘unholy alliance’ who united around a concern to keep Sunday special.
David Burrowes said to en: ‘One of the key concerns in the debate was the way the Government tried to introduce the law change. It was tacked onto the Enterprise Bill at a late stage of the Commons proceedings. The impact assessment and significantly the family impact (which was largely negative) was only published hours before the debate. The Government tried to broker a late concession by proposing a pilot scheme but their amendment was not allowed.
‘The freedom to go to church and have the opportunity to spend time with families is challenged on the superstore shop floor. This was a key concern which needed protection. The Government has now conceded that their plans for Sunday Trading are dead.’
David went on to say: ‘The present law is already one of the most deregulated in Europe and is a compromise after years of careful debate and scrutiny in the 1980s and 1990s. Many Christians would rather there are more restrictions but at least there is a difference on a Sunday and it is not a trading free for all. The value of our being created to work and also rest is a characteristic of Sunday and reflected in our laws.’
No protection for Christians
Colin Hart of the Christian Institute said: ‘This is a wonderful and encouraging victory...The proposed law offered no real protections for Christians who do not wish to work on a Sunday or people who simply want to keep Sunday as a family day.’
