The owners of P&O Ferries have tarnished the name of a once-great shipping line.
To get rid of 800 staff and replace them with agency workers reportedly paid below the minimum wage is beyond contempt.
It is hard to think of a worse example of corporate greed and mismanagement.
The Transport Secretary has now ordered a review of the Government’s contracts with P&O and its parent company DP World.
This welcome step is not nearly enough. If the Conservatives genuinely want to show solidarity with the 800 who lost their jobs – and call an end to bad business practices – they should outlaw fire and rehire.
They should also review their partnerships with DP World at the Solent and Thames Gateway free ports.
There has been no shortage of Tory MPs decrying the disgraceful behaviour of DP World but until they act to give workers the rights they deserve, words are meaningless.
It’s not trivial
According to Jacob Rees-Mogg the parties in Downing Street during lockdown were “trivial fluff”.
The Cabinet minister clearly has no understanding of the public anger at the behaviour of Boris Johnson and his No 10 colleagues.
While the Prime Minister was partying, people across the country were diligently adhering to the rules even if it meant they could not attend funerals or visit loved ones.
The fact that the people who set those rules failed to abide by them is not trivial.
Nor should the fact the Prime Minister may have misled Parliament be dismissed as “fluff”.
The thousands fined for breaking lockdown rules would not expect to get away with such an excuse. Nor should Rees-Mogg.
Rachael reins
Rachael Blackmore made history today by becoming the first female jockey to lift the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
She is the queen of the reins and reigning queen of horse racing.
