No doubt you will recall the furore earlier this year when P&O summarily dismissed almost 800 of its employees. So what is the latest news on the fall-out from this particular incident? 

A damp squib?

When P&O sacked its workers, the government was quick to condemn the company's actions. As the company’s CEO, Peter Hebblethwaite, was forced to appear before a parliamentary select committee to explain himself, Government ministers called for his resignation and threatened to hold P&O (and its management) accountable for their actions. There was even talk of criminal prosecutions by the Insolvency Service.

Months on, and with public interesting waning, the Insolvency Service has recently issued a press release in which it claims that following a ‘full and robust’ criminal investigation, it has decided not to proceed with criminal prosecutions in relation to the P&O dismissals. 

In many respects, this decision is no surprise. However, for the affected workers, it may represent yet another blow to their hopes of the company and management being held accountable for their actions.

Want to read more?

If you would like to read the Insolvency Service’s press release for yourself, click on the link below

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/po-ferries-update-from-the-insolvency-service-19-august-2022