P&O will not face criminal proceedings for mass sacking of staff

P&O Ferries will not face criminal proceedings over its mass sacking of almost 800 workers earlier this year , it has emerged, sparking calls for a change in the law. The company provoked public anger and was hauled in front of MPs to answer questions when it sacked hundreds of workers without notice in March. The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng , had asked the Insolvency Service to investigate whether any criminal or civil offences had been committed.

But in a statement, the government agency said it had determined there was “no realistic prospect of a conviction”. A spokesperson said: “After a full and robust criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the employees who were made redundant by P&O Ferries, we have concluded that we will not commence criminal proceedings . ” A civil investigation is ongoing.

Tory MP Huw Merriman, who chairs the Commons transport committee, called for legislation to ensure that a company like P&O could not do the same thing again. “The disgrace is on P&O but the disgrace will be on parliament if we don’t fix it and stop it from happening again,” Merriman said. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The law isn’t strong enough and as MPs we need to legislate to make sure that it is.

Nautilus International, a union which represents maritime professionals, said the Insolvency Service’s decision would be a blow to the “discarded” workers. Sign up to First Edition Free daily newsletter Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you through the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy .

We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. General secretary, Mark Dickinson, said: “This is a deeply disappointing decision and will be met with frustration and anger by the 786 seafarers and their families who were so cruelly discarded by P&O Ferries. “Only one day after P&O Ferries parent company announced record profits , making the company’s claims on operational sustainability questionable, we are further let down by a system that fails to punish apparent criminal corporatism.

“The message is clear, P&O Ferries must be held properly accountable for their disgraceful actions and we will continue the campaign to ensure that the CEO and his fellow directors are held to account and to make certain this can never happen again. ” P&O Ferries has ‘got away with it’, say unions as Shapps backtracks on action Read more During the hearings in parliament, the business admitted it had broken the law that would have forced them to give notice of the firings. This was because no unions would have accepted its new proposals, bosses said at the time.

Labour accused the government of breaking its pledge to hold P&O to account and warned of a repeat of the mass firing. Shadow employment rights minister, Justin Madders, said: “For all the handwringing of Tory ministers, they’ve broken the promises they made after P&O’s outrageous behaviour and instead changed the law to open the door for others to follow in their wake elsewhere. “This outcome is a sign of a broken economy under the Tories and the fundamental weakness of employment protections under their government.

” A government spokesperson told the BBC: “In sacking 800 dedicated staff on the spot, P&O Ferries not only acted callously but failed to uphold the high standards we expect of British businesses. “Given their appalling behaviour, it’s very disappointing that the company will not face criminal proceedings. ”.