Page 31 - Tom Long News Today

Bosses at P&O Ferries have been accused of hiring £1.82-an-hour foreign agency workers to replace 800 sacked staff - with some of the temps living in tents to save cash.

The memo, believed to have been written by a senior official, claimed that if the company did not sack the 800 workers then an estimated 2,200 staff would likely lose their jobs in future.

Government officials were notified of P&O Ferries' plan to abruptly lay off 800 workers in advance, but were assured it "would ensure they remain a major

Tory chair Oliver Dowden voiced revulsion at the firms sharp practices saying it had displayed no empathy whatsoever towards workers.

Stockmen said the lack of ships going between Britain, the EU and Northern Ireland could spell disaster for the industry. Pictured: Lorries backed up at the Port of Dover today.

20 members of the Eastern European replacement crew who were drafted in following the sacking scandal were pictured being shown around the docked Pride of Hull in Yorkshire.

Workers refused to leave their ships after being told in a pre-recorded three-minute video they were being fired with immediate effect by Stephen Nee, the companys laughably titled employee relations chief.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) is led by General Secretary Mick Lynch, whose name is now notorious among London commuters as the public face of a recent wave of Tube strikes.

Mr Shapps said the company had only let a very small group of officials know about the decision on Wednesday evening, meaning it was far too late for the Government to intervene.

The sackings sparked outrage from politicians and workers, many of whom refused to leave ships.