Is Boris Johnson heading for his first Commons defeat since the election? Plans are afoot in government to bring in legislation to suspend Sunday trading laws as part of a wider effort to get the economy going again. The Prime Minister and Chancellor first thought up the idea of relaxing Sunday trading as a way to make it easier for key workers to shop amid queues and rushes but research then suggested that such measures could have a significant economic impact as well.
However, early signs suggest that if the government presses ahead, MPs could move to block it. The Telegraph reports that 50 Conservative MPs have signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging him to abandon the plans. While the letter doesn’t carry the name of every MP who is alleged to oppose the plans – on the grounds that it could lead to the Whips moving to convince them otherwise – with Labour opposing the measures, this would be enough to defeat the government’s majority of 80.
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