P&O Ferries says sacking U-turn would cause collapse

The boss of P&O Ferries has hit back at government's calls to reinstate the 800 workers it has sacked, insisting a U-turn would cause the firm's collapse.

Peter Hebblethwaite said reversing the cuts, which the firm did not consult unions on, would lead to the loss of an additional 2,200 jobs.

He said the company had "painstakingly explored all possible alternatives".

In a letter in response to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, Mr Hebblethwaite said that more than 500 of the sacked crew had accepted and signed settlement agreements, and that he could not change the 31 March deadline for seafarers accepting their redundancy offers.