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MPs and a union have blasted the "scandal" of letting a firm with historic links to blacklisting carry out the refurbishment of Big Ben.

Labour's Chuka Umunna and the GMB hit out at the decision to award the contract to construction giant Sir Robert McAlpine.

The firm was part of a group of leading building firms which paid out tens of millions of pounds to blacklisted workers last year.

Blacklisting came to light in 2009 when the Information Commissioners Office seized a Consulting Association database of 3,213 construction workers and environmental activists, used by 44 companies to vet new recruits and keep out of employment trade union and health and safety activists.

Labour's Chuka Umunna, who led a debate in Westminster today, said: "Tears were apparently shed last month over the fact that we will not hear Big Ben’s bongs for several years.

"We should be far more concerned about the fact that Sir Robert McAlpine, a firm implicated in all of this, appears to have bagged a multi-million pound contract for the work that is to be carried out on Big Ben tower to fix those bongs."

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

The GMB union said it was “scandalous” that the £29m contract for refurbishing Big Ben has gone to a firm involved in the blacklisting of construction workers and called for an investigation.

Sir Robert McAlpine, alongside Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Skanska UK and Vinci settled High Court litigation over blacklisting last year.

About £75m was paid out in compensation to 771 workers who were illegally blacklisted, with union legal costs estimated at £25 million.

GMB blacklisted workers received £5.4million in compensation from the companies, including Sir Robert McAlpine, in May 2016.

One of them, Michael Dooley, said of the Big Ben contract: “It is scandalous that such a lucrative and prestigious contract is given to a founding member of the construction blacklisting organisation, The Consulting Association.

“Preventing 3,213 workers earning a living to support their families was a gross injustice and Government and employers’ organisations must never forget this sordid episode. Without strong regulation and penalties holding them to account, employers will always be tempted to put profit above people.

(Image: PA)

“GMB are calling for an investigation into procurement rules and the awarding of this contract.”

Workers staged a protest close to Big Ben to highlight fears that companies given contacts to refurbish it are among those still alleged to be blacklisting union members and other employees.

Dave Smith, of the Blacklist Support Group, said: “It seems the Tories are more interested in symbols of democracy and human rights than actual human rights of their own constituents.

“The hypocritical platitudes of Tory ministers make me sick. The bells of Big Ben may have fallen silent but blacklisted workers refuse to stay silent about this national scandal.”

Labour MP Jack Dromey said: “Blacklisting is a scandal which never went away. It blighted the lives of thousands of workers for many years and led to many of them being unable to find work.

(Image: Ben Pruchnie)

“There needs to be an urgent public enquiry into the practice of blacklisting and stronger laws put in place to stop it continuing.

“There is no way companies which are complicit in blacklisting should be awarded public contracts.

“Stronger procurement rules are vital for making sure that companies who blacklist are themselves blacklisted.”

MPs heard workers are still being ‘blacklisted’ by major firms for union activity or raising health and safety issues.

Labour’s Chuka Umunna alleged Crossrail and major contractors working on the £14.8bn rail project have stopped workers getting work on other sites.

At a Westminster Hall debate he said he had seen emails passed between contractors and Crossrail last year, which showed workers were closely monitored and then denied further work.

He added: “The evidence which I will supply after this debate to the minister illustrates that a number of construction workers were being closely watched there and sensitive personal information was being collected in relation to them.

(Image: Crossrail)

“Two of the workers concerned who were subject to that surveillance have since sought to obtain further employment on Crossrail and did so through agencies advertising positions.

“However as soon as they relayed their names there was a delay and then they were subsequently given an excuse as to why the positions have been filled.”

Tonight Britain’s biggest union Unite called for a full public inquiry into blacklisting and firms found to have acted illegally to be barred from all public sector contracts.

Gail Cartmail, Unite assistant general secretary, said: “Contemporary blacklisting is occurring in construction. The companies concerned have learned nothing from the Consulting Association scandal.

“Crossrail and its major contractors have been caught red-handed blacklisting workers. This is a publicly funded project and the government can no longer pretend this isn’t happening. They have always claimed they are opposed to blacklisting, now is their opportunity to act.

“Workers are continuing to have their lives ruined simply for being a member of a union, standing up for their rights or raising safety concerns. The companies concerned believe that they are untouchable.

“Construction will only finally rid itself of the stench of blacklisting when effective laws are introduced which bar blacklisters from public sector contracts, effective anti-blacklisting laws are introduced which make it a criminal offence and there is a full public inquiry into the practice.”

A Business Department spokesman said: “Blacklisting is illegal and has absolutely no place in modern work.

“There is no substantive evidence of blacklisting happening since regulation was introduced in 2010.

“Anyone found to be exploiting personal sensitive data, for blacklisting or otherwise, can expect to face the full force of the law.”

A spokesperson for Crossrail disputed the allegations, saying: “Crossrail Limited is not aware of, and has seen no evidence of, blacklisting of any kind in connection with the Crossrail project.

“Crossrail seeks to maintain good relations with the trades unions and meets with them on a regular basis. In our recent meetings with Unite no such concerns have been raised with us.

“Indeed Unite has previously issued a joint statement with a Crossrail contractor noting that there has been no contravention of the blacklisting regulations on Crossrail.”