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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Dan Bloom & Aletha Adu

P&O protestors heckle Tory MP Natalie Elphicke chanting 'you voted for fire and rehire'

Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke was heckled by union members who chanted "you voted for fire and rehire" at a P&O protest this afternoon.

Ms Elphicke attended the protest in her constituency to support protestors demanding P&O Ferries reverse its decision to sack 800 seafarers.

She even held a "save Britain's ferries" banner before speaking on TV about the horrific sackings.

But she was surrounded by protestors who chanted "shame on you", "you voted for fire and rehire", and "you're on their side".

Ms Elphicke turned briefly to the protesters before she was forced to ditch her interview.

She later tweeted: "The treatment of Dover’s hard-working and loyal P&O workers is revolting sharp practice. This is bad business behaviour and should be reversed by DP World right away."

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke with union members (Getty Images)

The scandal has erupted just five months after Tory MPs killed off a bid to outlaw ‘fire and rehire’.

Labour MP Barry Gardiner had tried to ban the practice of firms sacking staff, then hiring them back on worse terms and conditions.

His Employment and Trade Union Rights (Dismissal and Re-engagement) Bill would have made it it easier to fight the tactic at a tribunal.

Natalie Elphicke is heckled by union members as she arrives at the protest in Dover (Getty Images)

It would have also restricted firms' ability to vary terms through a contract, and force them to consult on changes for 15 or more employees.

But Tory ministers blocked attempts to force a vote on the Bill, talking beyond a 2.30pm cut-off time under arcane Commons rules.

Mr Gardiner said last night: “The disgraceful actions taken by P&O against their 800 seafarers shows yet again how employers are abusing the laws around fire and rehire.”

The Tory MP was forced to abandon her TV interview as hecklers continued to shout (Getty Images)

A Whitehall source hit back that P&O Ferries’ actions did not appear to be a case of fire and rehire. They said instead the firm appeared to be firing staff to hire different people on less money.

But No10 contradicted this, saying whether or not this counts as ‘fire and rehire’ is one thing the government is looking at.

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke at a P&O protest in Dover (REUTERS)

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "There are rules around fire and rehire. There are rules around notifying relevant government departments when you are making redundancies, and obviously there are the contracts that we have with the company.

"We are looking at all of those issues before deciding what steps (to take). We will find out the facts and see if they have complied with the law."

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