David Cameron has revived plans to allow shops to open for longer on Sundays despite opposition from some of his Tory backbenchers, trade unions and the Scottish National party.

There had been speculation the government would back out of the proposals because of fears Cameron could not get a vote through the House of Commons.

But Sajid Javid, the business secretary, confirmed he was pressing ahead with the move, which will allow councils extend Sunday opening hours in their areas if they believe it is the best approach.

The announcement provoked an angry backlash from trade unions and Labour because it is being introduced through an amendment to the enterprise bill, meaning there will be less chance for parliamentary scrutiny.

Usdaw, the shopworkers’ union, said it broke a promise made by Cameron to consult fully and give MPs time to consider the changes.

John Hannett, its general secretary, said: “When the government temporarily suspended Sunday trading laws for the 2012 Olympics, ministers gave categorical assurances that any attempt to permanently change the law would be subject to a full public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

“Tabling an amendment at this stage breaks that promise and the consultation is not complete until it has been published in full.”

The plans are a “betrayal of shopworkers and all those who regard Sunday as a special day”, he added.

Some smaller shops are also worried about the proposals, fearing it will benefit out of town retail parks rather than high streets.

James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: “Changing Sunday trading regulations will not help the high street. It would actually damage small high street stores as trade would get diverted to large out of town supermarkets.

“While ministers talk of increasing high street sales, our survey of local councils shows that extended Sunday hours would be applied to out of town parks, hurting high streets.”

The Church of England also restated its opposition to any relaxation of the current law saying it had seen no evidence that further liberalisation would bring tangible economic benefit.

“We know that over half of shop workers in large stores already feel pressure to work on Sundays, and an increase in opening hours will only lead to more people being pressured into spending Sunday apart from their children and families,” said Alan Smith, bishop of St Albans, in response to Tuesday’s announcement.

“This can only be damaging to community and family life and erode opportunities for shared time and activity, which is central to human flourishing and the common good.”





Chancellor George Osborne first announced the plan to consult on changing Sunday trading laws in the budget after the election.

But around 20 Tory MPs had warned the prime minister they would team up with the SNP and probably Labour to block the changes.

Angela Eagle, Labour’s shadow business secretary, suggested the party was against making changes to the current Sunday trading legislation.

“Labour has been consistent in echoing the voices of small businesses, shopworkers and their families in support of the current arrangements,” she said. “It works well and means that retailers can trade, customers can shop, and shopworkers can spend time with their families.

“This is at risk under the Tories who are set to make major changes to Sunday trading laws, a policy that wasn’t in their manifesto. They tried it before but wisely abandoned their plans at the last minute in the face of widespread opposition, not least from their own backbenches.”



Javid told the House of Commons that the changes would end the “Whitehall knows best” approach to what should be local regulation.

He added it is part of attempts to ensure the benefits of economic growth are “felt in every corner of our country”.

Local authorities will be able to restrict the longer hours to certain zones – such as high streets and city centres.

Under the plans, employees would also be able to give one month’s notice to large shops that they do not want to work Sundays and have the option of opting out of working extra hours.

Raising a point of order, Kevin Brennan, a shadow business minister, asked if Javid should be informing MPs about changes that have not been published, accusing the government of a “gross abuse of power”.