Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said the boss of P&O Ferries should quit for his “brazen, breathtaking arrogance” in admitting breaking the law in sacking staff.
The cabinet minister also said he would change the law to force a U-turn and prevent the ferry operator paying below minimum wage to its crews.
It comes after chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite admitted the company flouted employment law when it fired 800 workers without notice.
The transport secretary told Sky News: “I thought what the boss of P&O said yesterday about knowingly breaking the law was brazen and breathtaking, and showed incredible arrogance.
“I cannot believe that he can stay in that role having admitted to deliberately go out and use a loophole – well, break the law, but also use a loophole.”
Pressed on whether that meant he was calling for Mr Hebblethwaite to resign “right now”, he said: “Yes.”
Mr Hebblethwaite also told MPs its new crews were being paid below the UK’s minimum wage apart from on domestic routes, but insisted this is allowed under international maritime rules.
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Mr Shapps said: “What I’m going to do … is come to Parliament this coming week with a package of measures which will both close every possible loophole that exists and force them to U-turn on this.
“We are not having people working from British ports … plying regular routes between here and France or here and Holland, or (anywhere) else, and failing to pay the minimum wage. It’s simply unacceptable and we will force that to change.”
