90% of respondents to a recent Theos-commissioned survey said they thought Christmas was too commercialised but there seems little, if anything, the government can do about it.
Roger Gale MP - a strong supporter of the Keep Sunday Special campaign - has one way. He is urging a reassessment off the Sunday Trading Laws to account for Christmas Eve falling on Sundays:
"The large stores may be prepared to "bend" the law to extend shopping hours by introducing "browsing time " and "checking out time" but that is simply based upon retail greed and flies in the face of the spirit of the law. We had to re-visit the Act to deal with the days when Christmas Day falls on a weekday and we will have to look again at how to plug what is clearly a loophole in the law."
It would certainly be a great thing if retail workers had more time with their families and friends on Christmas Eve, although it'd mean people like me will have to get a little bit more organised!
Deputy Editor
I thought today's Mail lead story was a complete, well, non-story. Most large stores have introduced "browsing time" on Sundays throughout the year - something that journalists seem to have only just noticed.
I always found it amusing how some of the arch-capitalists on the right of the party do a sudden about-turn when it comes to a clash between the market and their moral viewpoint.
Posted by: Cllr Iain Lindley | December 23, 2006 at 19:46
In fact, looking again at Gale's remarks, he clearly hasn't noticed that most shops have introduced browsing time throughout the year as well.
If you don't want to work or shop on a Sunday, Roger, fine, don't do either, but don't stop those of us who are happy to do one or both.
Posted by: Cllr Iain Lindley | December 23, 2006 at 19:48
Sadly, tomorrow will not be anywhere near special enough for hundreds of people.
His Grace is necessarily preoccupied with all the ministry demands of this time of the year - visiting the elderly, sermon preparations, gift wrapping, hosting friends and family - but has been told by three younger members of his flesh-and-blood flock that they have been 'persuaded' to work tomorrow... if they value their retail jobs. His Grace's cyber-flock have not complained of such a problem, but (generally) he presumes that their financial needs are well met.
Apart from those who do not care, it is the young and vulnerable who feel obliged to work tomorrow, whatever their religious convictions. The Sunday deregulation was never worded to protect them.
Posted by: Cranmer | December 23, 2006 at 19:48
Presumably the Conservative Party has now abandoned its opposition to the Working Time Directive? Or is only Christian Bores who are allowed to limit working time.
Posted by: Andrew Small | December 23, 2006 at 19:58
Roger Gale is a wonderful MP - one I greatly admire and respect. But he is wrong on this occasion because capitalism is about choice. As Iain points out, he is free to do as he pleases. If people do not want to work on religious days (like tomorrow and Monday) then the law should be on their side. If they choose to do so, let them do it.
I hope people of all faiths and none use this time to reflect on the year, be happy for all the good that has been done and hope (and pray!) that 2007 is a better year for us all.
Let us also remember all those who are no-longer with us.
Wishing ALL ConservativeHome readers and contributors a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | December 23, 2006 at 20:03
I've kept my comments brief here as I have wrote on this at the blog I co-author. See http://chameleonsonbicycles.wordpress.com/2006/12/23/axe-sunday-trading-laws/
Government shouldn’t regulate shop opening hours for religious or any other reasons, as that is an individual matter for the shop owners and staff concerned. Whilst it would be nice for people to have more free time, especially at Christmas, I’m sure they also appreciate the money (or they wouldn’t do it) and it’s up to them to organise their own lives. Free choice must prevail. I’d also much rather have staff choosing to work Christmas Eve than have many thousands of disappointed children the next morning! A far better idea would be to cut tax so we all didn’t need to work so much and had more disposable income!
Posted by: DavidTBreaker | December 23, 2006 at 20:18
I'd like to echo all of Justin's comments entirely.
Also, there is a way of making Christmas special for those who wish to celebrate the birth of Christ and that's to abolish the 8 mandatory bank holidays and replace them with 8 extra days regular holiday.
That way, the wheels of Britain keep turning for 8 more days than they do at present and those who wish to take certain days off for faith reasons can do so. It also means that non-Christians can take days off for their own festivals and work through the Christian days.
It would be a secular policy but would help preserve Christmas for those who actually believe in celebrating the birth of Jesus while allowing non-Christians and those who just worship Santa Clause to take more days off in the summer when the weather's nicer.
Posted by: Gareth Knight | December 23, 2006 at 20:56
All this talk of retail workers feeling obliged to work tomorrow and being forced to work Sundays is patronising and from my experience pretty untrue. For a start a lot of weekend workers are part time students (or in their gap year like myself) and given that Sunday normally pays time and a half there’s normally no shortage of people willing to work Sundays. Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday and people like myself contracted to work Sundays will work it – just as office workers would probably be working Xmas Eve if it had fell on a Tuesday.
Most of those seeking to limit opening hours to ‘protect’ retail workers haven’t worked a day in retail in their lives. No doubt too they expect to be able to stroll into a restaurant on a Sunday afternoon or evening – should restaurants have limited hours to protect waiters?
Having said that I oppose extending Sunday trading hours. The status quo is adequate and works well. Allowing ‘browsing time’ half an hour before the shop officially opens makes little difference as most Sunday staff already start work a bit before the shop opens.
Posted by: Disillusioned | December 23, 2006 at 22:01
Off topic - Bono, the warbling bogtrotter and leading international economist, is to get an honorary knighthood.
As if the award had not been sufficiently debased.
Posted by: Og | December 23, 2006 at 22:45
"Off topic - Bono, the warbling bogtrotter and leading international economist, is to get an honorary knighthood. As if the award had not been sufficiently debased."
And they say it has nothing what so ever to do with him having spoke at the Labour conference and given Tony 'street cred'.
Posted by: DavidTBreaker | December 23, 2006 at 22:51
I thought Bono was Irish? Is that the reason for the 'honorary'? It'll be interesting to see whether he 'uses' it!
Posted by: Patsy Sergeant | December 23, 2006 at 23:20
He can't use it - that's why it's honorary. Terry Wogan has one too.
Posted by: Cllr Iain Lindley | December 23, 2006 at 23:28
As ever, I am a few hours ahead of the times, see my comments on the main thread from 10.34 this morning.
Posted by: Mark Wadsworth | December 24, 2006 at 00:03
But he is wrong on this occasion because capitalism is about choice.
No it is not. It is about CAPITAL. Capitalism has as its object securing a Monopoly. Mr Putin has a purer form of Capitalism than Britain.............Britain has a politically-indulged retail sector which is basically crap at merchandising or stocking.....but which buys political influence.
Posted by: ToMTom | December 24, 2006 at 07:10
Patsy, Bono is Irish - that's why the title he's been given is "honorary". Cllr Iain Lindley you are quite right in that he can't actually "use" it.
Posted by: Sally Roberts | December 24, 2006 at 07:44
The news item about Bono actually throws up quite an interesting thought.. It used to be the case that those who were in receipt of honours were strictly forbidden to divulge that they had received "the letter" from the Palace offering them the honour - I thought that if they did so the honour would be withdrawn! Presumably that has either never been the case or is no longer?
Posted by: Sally Roberts | December 24, 2006 at 07:46
Patsy, Bono is Irish - that's why the title he's been given is "honorary"
Wonder how much he paid ?
Posted by: ToMTom | December 24, 2006 at 08:40
Some of the posts here are very sad.
Christmas has become a time when Mammon, not God is worshipped. No wonder there are so many murders and "domestics" overy the holiday.
A friend's son, who is a policemman is on duty over the holiday. He's dreading it.
We need less drink, less expenditure, less worship of cash and worldly goods.
More worship, more love and charity and above all recognition that this is the birth-day of Jesus Christ who died that all we sinners should live.
I wish a Happy and peaceful Christmas to all who post here, including those with whom I profoundly disagree.
Also the wish that all who have not yet found the Lord will let Him into their lives over the coming year.
Posted by: John Irvine | December 24, 2006 at 12:27
Christmas has become a time when Mammon, not God is worshipped. No wonder there are so many murders and "domestics" over the holiday.
It was in the beginning too - Herod was in his palace and the Romans had one set of values and the Sadduccees another...........that is the nature of Election
Posted by: TomTom | December 24, 2006 at 13:07
I have no problem with shops closing at 4pm on Xmas Eve, Sunday or not, but it did seem silly to have them shut until 10am. It proberbly isn't worth amending the law just for 1 year in 7 though.
As for Sunday trading generally it would make more sense to substantially increase the minimum wage on a Sunday-to ensure there were plenty of voluteneers and staff didn't feel under pressure to work if they didn't want to.
Posted by: comstock | December 24, 2006 at 20:23
This is cheap shot I'll grant you, but ex-caroline DJ Mr Gale was happy enough to take action that complied with the letter ofbut very much "flew in the face of the spirit of" the 1945 Wireless Telegraphy Act.
Posted by: comstock | December 24, 2006 at 20:41
As for Sunday trading generally it would make more sense to substantially increase the minimum wage on a Sunday-to ensure there were plenty of voluteneers and staff didn't feel under pressure to work if they didn't want to.
Maybe closing Off-Licences ALL day on Sundays would help relieve pressure on A&E units ?
Posted by: TomTom | December 26, 2006 at 09:20
"browsing time " when are you going to do something about this the big four are just trying to rake in more and more,when i was a kid no shops where open sundays it was a special day with the family now we have to work on sundays no extra pay just the same you all go on about the kids now adays out of hand may be because we all have to work all weekends insead of being with the family
thank god at least i can remember those days
Posted by: r cowell | February 16, 2007 at 18:56
Regarding Sunday trading. Its good to have Sunday as a day of reflection (whether one goes to church or not). - No juggernauts disoruting one's peace. Do not forget shop workers have their own lives and sunday trading tends to throw the balance of trading from weekdays to weekends. So therefore it would be it much easier for them to hold monday-friday contacts, allowing them to be with family at weekends. As regards Saturdays they could be worked by those able to work them or shared on alternate basis. Saturday is a traditional hunting day and many retail workers support their hunts
Respect for family and rural tradition are central Conservative tenets.
Posted by: John Barstow | April 27, 2007 at 18:09