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		Labour MEP defies Party Wednesday, 17th December 2008 In a vote today in the Strasbourg parliament on the EU's Working Time Directive, the sole East Midlands Labour MEP Glenis Willmott defied her own government's policy and voted instead with her European Socialist friends. Her defiance is all the more remarkable as she is the Labour MEP Delegation Whip, responsible for Party discipline. The parliament voted to end the British opt-out on the Working Time Directive, denying East Midlands workers the right to choose their working hours, and limiting the overtime they can do. This is a measure which will make the British labour market less flexible and competitive, and is an astonishing own-goal as we face a recession. Employer's organisations have warned of the economic damage the measure will do, while a study by the think-tank Open Europe suggests that the measure could end up costing every British family £2,300. This vote represents a failure of Labour horse-trading. Our government had agreed to accept another bad piece of legislation, the Temporary Workers Directive, which it did not want, in exchange for keeping the opt-out on Working Time. The parliament has pocketed the concession on Temporary Workers, but failed to deliver its side of the bargain. British companies will now get two damaging European employment laws for the price of one. The measure now goes to the Council and the Commission, but unless our government takes a very tough line, the opt-out will be gone. As many as twelve Labour MEPs, including Glenis Willmott, voted to scrap the British opt-out, while five supported their Party line. Commenting on the vote, Conservative MEP Roger Helmer said “This is a stab in the back for workers' rights and for hard-working families who want to earn a better life. But it's a case of new Labour in Westminster, Old Labour in Strasbourg”. Mr Helmer’s colleague, Chris Heaton-Harris MEP adds; “At a time of economic decline, we need more flexibility not less. This type of legislation will send Britain on the track from recession to depression.” Martin Traynor from Leicestershire’s Chamber of Commence is also angered by the vote, saying: “At a time when the UK economy is sliding into recession, the loss of our opt-out from the Working Time Directive will be a bitter blow to the business community and will ultimately result in further jobs losses. At time of economic hardship, business will need a flexible workforce which not inhibited by unfair and restrictive EU employment legislation.”