Party conference this year will be a moment of celebration, after our stunning General Election results – but it will also be the occasion where we look forward, and develop our responses to the host of massive challenges facing the nation.
Yet, reading through the agenda, as we prepare to gather in Brighton, I see that the first policy motion is to further reform Sunday trading laws. Should this really be a key priority?
The motion describes Sunday, the traditional day of rest, as ‘outdated social norms’, a reference to cultural norms that have largely faded from public consciousness as the country evolves towards patterns of lifestyle where consumerism, overindulgence, and social media are more evident. That feels far removed from the collective fellowship, reflective contemplation and communion enjoyed by millions seeking direction and salvation – at least where I live, in the London Borough of Southwark, along the Old Kent Road, where these values still very much matter today.
We should not forget why Sunday trading laws were introduced in the first place: the ‘Keep Sunday Special’ campaign was introduced in part to protect the Sabbath. Epitomised by the Parliamentary Tory rebellion, when 72 backbenchers defied a three-line whip and defeated Margaret Thatcher’s government in the 1980’s. Liberal MP, David Alton, led the charge of Mrs Thatcher’s only parliamentary defeat on the Shops Bill of 1986.
Look, it is fairly obvious that there are millions of people who do shop on Sunday. So, on exactly what basis should they be prevented from doing so?
In fact, there are a host of non-religious reasons for limiting Sunday retail trade – a point highlighted by the breadth of the broad coalition behind the famous 1986 campaign to oppose liberalisation.
The normalisation of Sundays today has, without a doubt, had adverse effects on workers. Not only is there a potential loss of time for family – even for religious observance for those so inclined – but Sunday pay rates are also disappearing. The attitude today seems to be: “Why should staff be paid more? It’s not as if you’re giving anything up by working on Sunday?”
How times have changed.. Reading Gladstone: The making of a Christian Politician, by Peter Jagger, you recognise that Gladstone would have turned in his grave at the thought of society not being observant of the sabbath. At that time, Churchgoing was almost socially obligatory on Sunday and assisting at Sunday school was regarded as a commendable activity.
This past summer has shown signs that our nation is fractured, with the xenophobic behaviour of rioters a bleak example of moral and spiritual decline. Our resilience and capacity to acknowledge the bright side is wavering. We need to go back to first principles; compassion; reconciliation, forgiveness and selfless love.
In 2012, the Coalition government passed the Sunday Trading (London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games) Act. This temporarily de-regulated Sunday opening hours, with the aim of allowing shops to benefit from the Olympic trade boost.
I am sure we will hear from trade bodies argue that the current trading laws have made it difficult for London districts like Knightsbridge and the West End to compete with their global counterparts, such as Paris, Milan and New York, alongside emerging locations in the Middle East which face fewer trading restrictions.
Members of the clergy has already spoken against the temptation to relax the legislation further in the hope of maintaining Sunday rest as a key part of England’s heritage and culture.
Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewbury Cathedral said “We would be discarding the Christian heritage of a shared day of rest and all human values which the observance of Sunday has involved.”
As a Liberal Democrat, I would not vote against the principle of devolved power to local authorities, however, we must protect elected members from undue influences from big retailers and other businesses who stand to gain commercially from extended opening times. Moreover, local authorities could be given the power to restrict free car parking on Sundays for instance.
I would hope those who support the preservation of a key plank of British heritage and tradition, step forward this Saturday and vote against the UK Government extending Sunday trading hours (lines 41-43) of the motion.
* Michael Bukola is former Lib Dem Councillor in the London Borough of Southwark.
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13 Comments
If people need to have a day of rest then the way to regulate this is though laws on working time. I don’t see practical arguments here as to why it should be Sunday. Only conservative traditionalist ones.
Indeed the idea that limited opening times for shops (except corner shops) Sunday trading laws gives anyone a “day” of rest is a complete con anyway. They give (some) retail workers two or three hours rest, which will presumably work off on a different day.
And for this those of us who have a tendency to do things later in the day, or who suddenly realised they need to go out and buy something from the supermarket in the evening are forced to suffer a needless inconvenience.
Indeed certain neurological conditions are associated with people doing things later in the day or at the last minute and are currently discriminated against by current laws.
Michael, I agree with the general thrust of your article. But what really baffles me is why this subject should be being given such prominence.
Priorities!!
The Equality Act 2010 I believe contains sufficient protection against religious people being forced to work on Sunday, or indeed Saturday. If it doesn’t, it should be strengthened.
However the law should not be telling businesses which days of the week they should open, or the hours that they keep. I see the Sunday trading rules as an obsolete leftover from the time that religious practices were enforced by the state.
I would think one reason for trying to have a fixed day each week when we try to have as few people required to work as possible is that it makes it more likely that partners and families can get time together, with no-one having to go out to work on that day.
I would also guess that it’s perhaps psychologically better for most of us to have the week follow some structure which society generally follows, rather than just having every day be exactly the same as every other day – which is what we’d probably end up with if there were no laws like Sunday trading laws. To me it certainly feels better to have the weekend, and Sunday as distinctive days that are more about relaxing and less about work.
There are also people who benefit from not working the same hours as each other (especially exes with shared custody).
Might “Shared” be a key word in this interesting article?
As societies become more complex, so sharing may well become more complicated but no less important. Societies which lack attitudes and techniques for sharing, aka. equity, become internally predatory.
Might increased hunger, including that of so many children, and increased homelessness etc. Indicate that our society shares insufficiently?
Might there be a consequences of Austerity/Neoliberalism?
Might there be a danger of it, and its socially harmful consequences, continuing under the current government?
Might L Ds obviously promote, and work for, a less predatory, more realistically sharing society?
Steve, what on Earth has any of that got to do with Sunday trading laws?
Might Sunday/the Sabbath have started as a shared day of rest?
Two further points that should be considered:-
1) Having restricted Sunday hours for the larger shops provides a boost for smaller businesses. If Sunday trading hours were relaxed then some small shops would not survive.
2) The number of hours that shops are open has greatly increased from the days when almost all were shut on Sundays and also shut on early closing day. Increasing the opening hours does not necessarily mean more sales but only that the same sales are spread over more hours. The costs of opening however are increased. It is no good saying that shops don’t have to open all hours – if your competitor is open you may well have to do the same or you lose sales even though both shops might benefit if they both had reduced hours.
” The number of hours that shops are open has greatly increased from the days when almost all were shut on Sundays and also shut on early closing day.” Kevin Hawkins
It is notable even before Covid, but definitely after, how many stores in my local area that were open 24 hours, have quietly gone back to more conventional opening hours. Also how many stores that were open to 8pm, now close at 6pm. I suspect no one has been collecting data on actual shop opening hours…
I can see both sides of the argument, but remember people who work in supermarkets are low paid and work hard, surely they deserve some time with their families on a Sunday. Also I know I’m getting on but it’s nice just to have a few hours of quiet time.
@David Le Grice
“And for this those of us who have a tendency to do things later in the day, or who suddenly realised they need to go out and buy something from the supermarket in the evening are forced to suffer a needless inconvenience.”
Oh please! Isn’t it up to you to organise your life a bit better?
@Kevin Hawkins
“1) Having restricted Sunday hours for the larger shops provides a boost for smaller businesses. If Sunday trading hours were relaxed then some small shops would not survive.”
Agreed. And for many people the small convenience store might be easier/quicker to access so that visiiting it might have less environmental impact than going to the big store on the retail park.
@Hugh Young
“people who work in supermarkets are low paid and work hard, surely they deserve some time with their families on a Sunday.”
Yes – or at least on one day/week which works for both employer and employee. Which day might vary from place to place and business to business.
Despite the issue of influence, this is a decision for local authorities following consulting with their inhabitants. There are advantages to having a set day that allows businesses to shorten or abandon opening hours if they wish.