This week I wrote to Kemi Badenoch, Secretary of State for Business & Trade, about the closure of Wilko. I asked what steps her government is taking to support any potential sale to keep as many stores open and protect as many jobs as possible.
You can read my letter below:
Dear Secretary of State,
I am writing to you with deep concern following recent news that hundreds of Wilko stores will likely close.
There are 400 Wilko stores across the UK, representing 12,500 jobs. There are two Wilko stores in Whitehaven and Workington, and for years they have provided crucial jobs for working people in our area. Behind every one of these store closures are workers who will now lose their livelihood. This is truly awful news for them and their families.
The next few weeks will be crucial for these workers’ future, and in turn for their role within our economy during a cost-of-living crisis. I am therefore writing to ask the following urgent questions:
- What steps will you now take to ensure that the tens of thousands of Wilko staff, who could now be facing redundancy, will be supported into new employment?
- What are the government doing to ensure that proper, meaningful consultation is conducted by employers and administrators and that they are prevented from exploiting loopholes that allow for workers to be laid off without having complied with the full 45-day period as clearly stated under law?
- There is still the possibility that some stores may be bought, either as part of a package or individually. What options has the government considered to support the sale of Wilko stores and protect as many jobs as possible?
Sadly shuttered up shops and struggling high streets have become the norm after 13 years of Conservative economic failure. Despite this, the Government has presented no ideas for our high streets. In contrast, Labour has a plan that will tackle the things holding firms back. We will scrap and replace the current system of business rates with a fully costed and funded system of business property taxation that levels the playing field so that our high streets can thrive; crack down on anti-social behaviour; and give council’s powers to put an end to empty premises to bring shoppers back to the high street.
Wilko is not the first example of this tragedy and, without the government matching the ambition of Labour’s plans, I fear it will not be the last.
Yours sincerely,
Josh MacAlister
Josh MacAlister MP 