Pressed on whether the Government had dropped plans to put the issue to a vote within days, the Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman said: “We have been clear on what the process is”.
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The government launched a consultation over the summer to look at the changes which are created to support High Streets and shopping centres by allowing them to stay open for longer at weekends and compete with internet shopping.
Lady Barbara Judge, chairman of the Institute of Directors, said earlier today that existing restrictions to Sunday trading are “archaic when consumers can shop on their phones wherever they are, at any hour of the day”. But nationalists will say that the reforms will have an impact in Scotland by potentially driving down wages.
It is the second time that the SNP, which is the third largest party at Westminster, has forced the government to change tack.
He added: ‘Were they to have thought about it, and were they to have made a respectful approach to the issue, to have talked with the SNP… we would have been prepared to consider the proposals.
Angus Roberston, who leads the SNP in Parliament, said: “SNP MPs could hold the balance of power in the House of Commons on Sunday shopping and we will not undermine shop workers”.
“We want safeguards, we want guarantees, we want to make sure that shop workers in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom are not worse off”, he told the BBC News Channel.
The government has recently introduced an English votes for English laws (Evel) measure in parliament to give English MPs a veto over legislation that applies only to England.
Communities and Local Government Secretary Greg Clark told MPs: “The government believe that there is a strong case for local areas to be able to decide if and where extending Sunday trading should be permitted”.
“The government is set to embark on a de-regulation of Sunday trading for which there is no particular demand, which was not in our manifesto and goes against our concerns for workers for small businesses and families”, said Burrowes.
He said: “There are around 20 colleagues who will vote against relaxing Sunday trading laws and with an unholy alliance with the SNP are likely to defeat the Government. I am supporting the Keep Sunday Special campaign and plan to vote against any changes to Sunday trading legislation”.
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It indicated yesterday that it was ready to join forces with Labour and around 20 Tory rebels to block the changes amid fears they could drive down the wages of workers in Scotland, which already has Sunday opening. The Sunday Trading Act, which allowed limited opening hours on a Sunday, never applied to Scotland, where retailers have freedom to open longer hours.
