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Tory ministers have admitted to Labour MP Stephanie Peacock that they are no longer ‘naming and shaming’ employers who illegally fail to pay workers the minimum wage.

The government slipped out news that they were reviewing the practice over Christmas in 2019, and now confirmed that they will not name any employers caught breaking the law by underpaying staff while that review is ongoing.

Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst told Ms Peacock that there was “no set completion date” for the review, which has now taken nearly six months.

Ms Peacock MP said: “This admission makes clear that the Tories are soft on rogue bosses, and that ordinary working people just can’t rely on this government to protect their most basic rights.

“The minimum wage has lifted pay for millions, but it won’t work if it’s not enforced.

(Image: Chester Chronicle)

"There should be no hiding place for criminal employers who refuse to follow the law, and the government should be cracking down not backing down.”

In April this year, the Low Pay Commission called on the government to resume ‘naming and shaming’ as part of a package to crack down on bad bosses, warning that over 400,000 workers were illegally underpaid last year.

The last official ‘naming’ round was on 6 July 2018, nearly a year ago, when 239 employers found to have underpaid 22,400 UK workers by a total of £1.44m were publicly revealed.

The amount was the largest identified by HMRC in any single naming list and generated record fines.