'Mad' Labour rebels vote to ban overtime

OUT-of-touch Labour Euro MPs embarrassed Gordon Brown yesterday by voting to restrict Britain’s working week to a maximum of 48 hours.

VITAL Mandelson wants opt out VITAL: Mandelson wants opt-out

The move was described as “madness” at a time when small businesses are struggling to stay afloat and hard-working families rely increasingly on overtime earnings.

In defiance of the Prime Minister, the MEPs voted to enforce the European working time directive, limiting the working week to a maximum 48 hours.

Britain opted out of the directive in 1993, meaning consenting workers here can work for up to 65 hours a week.

The opt-out is worth an estimated £9billion a year to Britain and business leaders say it is vital in the current economic climate.

CBI chief John Cridland said the MEPs were out of touch and added: “Currently people in hard times can do extra hours to ­support their family. In a comp­any fighting for survival, they can go the extra mile.”

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson yesterday vowed to defend the opt-out. Ending it would stop workers boosting their earnings, he said, and would risk losing jobs to China and India by imposing new restrictions on firms already suffering in the credit crunch.

Shadow Business Secretary Alan Duncan said: “Gordon Brown has got to get a grip on his own party and make sure he ensures that the British opt-out is retained. Losing it would be a massive blow for UK businesses.”

Euro-sceptic think-tank Open Europe said the vote was a new embarrassment to a Government that claimed in June to have ­safeguarded the opt-out.

It also follows a vote by MEPs in favour of a directive giving new rights to agency workers, which critics say will pile costs on British business.

Mats Persson of Open Europe said: “Introducing such laws at a time of recession would be madness.”

The issue will be debated in Europe next month.

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