By dismissing hundreds of loyal engineers who refused to sign inferior contracts, British Gas is trashing its own reputation.
This fire-and-rehire tactic, to impose pay cuts and longer hours, is a national disgrace that should be outlawed immediately.
But the privatised energy supplier is, unfortunately, not alone in exploiting weak laws that leave British workers vulnerable.
British Gas owner Centrica risks a backlash from customers angered by the mistreatment of skilled workers who fix problems in their essential home devices and keep them safe.
In Britain, workers have fewer legal rights than employees in other major nations.
As the senior executives of British Gas earn eye-boggling amounts, many will feel it is not fair to clobber the grafters who – until this week – were the firm’s most valuable assets.
End cronyism
By whipping Conservative MPs to block Labour’s plan for a wider inquiry into corruption, Boris Johnson makes himself look like a PM with something to hide.
The more limited internal investigation, initiated by a Premier without a moral compass of his own, is insufficient.
A culture of cronyism and back-scratching in Whitehall has clearly been exposed.
The fact that Johnson’s predecessor David Cameron is at the heart of this scandal underlines the urgent need for transparency.
The chumminess and cosiness must end, replaced by open and professional dealings.
No wonder Johnson, too often a stranger to the truth and probity, is desperate to remain in control of what the public finds out.
Tender picture
Sweet never-before-seen photographs of the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen with seven of their great-grandchildren will pull at the heartstrings of even the most devout republicans.
The happy moment shared between four generations is a reminder that a public passing is also a deeply personal sorrow for the family.
