Highlands and Islands Regional Labour MSP David Stewart has condemned an announcement by the SNP to cancel a study into the impact of New Year’s Day Trading on the Scottish economy.

The Christmas & New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007 became law in April 2007, banning retailers from forcing *shop staff to work on Christmas Day.

With not enough support for a similar ban on New Year’s Day, a study was commissioned by the previous Labour Justice Minister to look at the economic impact of ensuring shop workers are not forced to work New Year’s Day.

Speaking following the announcement Mr Stewart said, "This announcement by the SNP is a betrayal of the commitment give by the previous Labour led Executive to protect Scottish shop workers.

"The SNP were happy with the general principles of my colleague Karen Whitefield’s Bill, which included New Year’s Day, but they now seem to want to distance themselves from their commitment to low paid Scottish shop workers.

"I think that Scottish shop workers will be bitterly disappointed by this announcement and I will be writing to Mr MacAskill to ask him to reverse this decision."

The promoter of the Bill, Airdrie & Shotts MSP Karen Whitefield, added. "The SNP are now starting to show their true colours.

"This announcement shows clearly that they have no regard for the working conditions of Scotland’s shop workers.

"I accepted an amendment to my Bill at stage 3 on the basis that the Executive would take steps to ensure that no shop workers would be forced to work on New Year’s Day.

"It now appears that the SNP want to walk away from that commitment."