P&O Ferries sacking scandal needs public inquiry - Alistair Carmichael MP

I write regarding the sacking of 800 P&O Ferries workers and the ongoing fallout from this unwarranted action, which risks undermining working conditions of all UK seafarers.

While I am glad that the Government has begun to take steps to respond to the crisis created by P&O’s behaviour, I believe that an independent public inquiry is now necessary in order to understand how events were allowed to develop to this point.

I have publicly welcomed the measures announced this week to improve working conditions for seafarers. Belated efforts now, however, cannot be a substitute for accountability for action – or inaction – in the past. There is growing evidence that government inaction at key points in the past months and years may have contributed to the situation we now find ourselves in.

You will no doubt be aware that during meetings between current Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and P&O Ferries owner DP World last November, the Secretary of State was warned that P&O would be needing to make changes to their business. It is, as of yet, unclear as to what steps, if any, were taken following that meeting to ascertain P&O’s intentions or to prevent harm to its employees.

Recent media reports have also suggested that previous Transport Secretary Chris Grayling failed to close a loophole in the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act during his tenure as Secretary of State, an oversight which has protected P&O from prosecution in spite of their failure to inform key figures about the sackings in writing 45 days prior.

I would suggest that Mr Grayling should therefore be one of the first to be questioned as part of any inquiry.

This inquiry must have the power to summon witnesses and require them to give evidence under oath, including current Government Ministers and officials, and demand the disclosure of any relevant official documents and communications. It must be fully equipped to outline and assess the series of events which led to P&O’s actions, and how the Government can respond so that it is not caught off-guard in such a way again.

It is now clear that nothing less than an independent public inquiry will be enough to get to the bottom of this scandal and to understand how P&O Ferries felt it could act in this way with such impunity.

It is vital that we have full transparency so that families can get the answers they deserve.