Conservative MP Philip Davies has tabled five amendments to the Deregulation Bill aimed at scrapping or relaxing the current law around Sunday trading.

Davies’ first amendment calls for the Sunday Trading Act to be fully repealed, while number two looks to extend the trading window from six to eight hours. The third and fourth amendments call for an Olympic-style suspension around the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and next year’s Rugby World Cup. His final proposal is for garden centres to be exempt from the Act.

The Deregulation Bill is currently at report stage and the amendments are expected to be debated during the second day of this stage - likely to be next month.

Shopworkers’ union Usdaw blasted the move, claiming the Bill was not the place for such amendments as it was not about Sunday trading.

“Taken together these amendments are incoherent,” said Usdaw general secretary John Hannett. “On the one hand, Mr Davies wants the complete deregulation of Sunday trading, but then goes on to propose a series of changes that would keep Sunday Trading regulated.”

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