Speaking in parliament on Wednesday (23 March), Boris Johnson said: “We condemn the callous behaviour of P&O and I think it is no way to treat hard working employees.
“We will not sit by, because under section 194 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act of 1992 it looks to me as though the company concerned has broken the law, and we will be taking action, therefore, and we will be encouraging workers themselves to take action under the 1996 Employment Rights Act.
“If the company is found guilty, then they face fines running into millions of pounds.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer said the government had had advance warning of the sackings “but they didn’t lift a finger to stop it”.
Johnson replied: “The company concerned has a duty to notify the government 45 days before they take action of that kind. That is why we’re taking the action that we are.”
Starmer said P&O had received “over £38 million of government contracts” and parent company DP World “is lined up for £50 million of taxpayers’ money”.
Johnson said: “We will take them to court, what we will not do is launch a wholehearted campaign against overseas investment.”
Starmer replied: “DP World must be quaking in their boots.”
P&O Ferries chief Executive Peter Hebblethwaite will be grilled by MPs on Thursday morning (24 March) at 11am. Also giving evidence to a parliamentary committee will be RMT union general secretary Mick Lynch and maritime law experts.
