He wrote: "The action of P&O Ferries, terminating the employment of 800 British seafarers with immediate effect and without any consultation, is deplorable and a betrayal of British workers. Mr Shapps wrote to Peter Hebblethwaite, chief executive of P&O, on Friday and said he was "questioning the legality of this move" and reviewing P&O Ferries' contracts. Sailings were halted on Thursday morning following the announcement, with P&O Ferries telling passengers they would remain suspended "for the next few days". An update on the company's Twitter feed said: "We have now resumed services between #POLiverpool & #PODublin. Meanwhile, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said around 300 people attended a demonstration near the Conservative Party spring forum in Blackpool.

Source: Irish Independent March 19, 2022 22:21 UTC