Group calling for action on exploitation

Textiles: Retailers and MPs write to home secretary demanding licences

More than 90 retailers, MPs and other organisations have come together to urge the Home Office to take action against the exploitation of garment factory workers in the UK.

In a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, the coalition called on the government to create a scheme to ensure textile factories are fit to trade.

It comes after online fashion giant Boohoo came under fire after an allegation workers in a Leicester factory making clothes for them were being paid £3.50 an hour.

The report said the factory, which displayed Jaswal Fashions signs, was operating in lockdown without additional health measures in place.

The letter said: “These reports on the terrible working conditions people face in UK garment factories add weight to concerns which have been raised over the last five years by academics and parliamentary committees about the gross underpayment of the national living wage and serious breaches of health and safety law in these workplaces.

“Unless action is taken now, thousands more people will likely face exploitation.”

A licensing scheme would ensure workers are paid the minimum wage and source clothing locally, the letter states.

Coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the letter has been signed by the likes of ASOS, Missguided, New Look, Next and River Island.

Boohoo has not signed the letter but chief executive John Lyttle wrote to Ms Patel backing calls for a licensing scheme.

Boohoo had more than £1 billion wiped from its share value in two days.