Sunak pledges to support Wilko staff after the chain was ‘mismanaged for years’

The Prime Minister has pledged to support 12,500 Wilko staff who are being made redundant after the collapse of the chain.

Tory former minister Brendan Clarke-Smith who has urged the government to safeguard their pensions and to hold Wilko owners accountable for the administration.

Clarke- Smith said during Prime Minister’s Questions, “This week we were hit by the devastating news that all Wilko stores would be closing, meaning the loss of 12,500 jobs.

“Bassetlaw and Worksop are the home of Wilko’s HQ and a distribution centre, with 1,500 jobs set to go.”

The MP said that “Wilko has been mismanaged for years.

“Can the Prime Minister reassure my constituents and all those nationally affected by the demise of Wilko that he and the Government will do everything in their power to help support people into jobs and make sure their redundancies and pensions are protected, and that we will take whatever action is available to us to hold the ownership to account?”

Rishi Sunak told MPs in the House of Commons on Wednesday, “As he knows, some of the topics that he raised will be commercial matters for the company.

“I do know that this is a concerning time for workers at Wilko.

“The Business Secretary is keeping close to developments and we have already started supporting those who have been made redundant, and we stand ready to support others to the fullest of our abilities.”

The GMB Union has accused Wilko bosses of running the business “into the ground” and the administration of the company is a “tragedy without a cause.”

Nadine Houghton, national officer for the GMB union, said this week, “Due to the incompetency of Wilko bosses the deal has now run out of time.

“If the owners had been transparent and honest, thousands of loyal Wilko workers may not now be in this awful position.

“This is another devastating blow for them, who have seen their lives and futures gambled on the whims of millionaires and billionaires.

“Wilko bosses should be ashamed that this once great family business now appears to be beyond saving.”