The government recently held a consultation on transferring Sunday trading rules to local authorities. This is likely to see current Sunday trading hours extended above their current six hour limit.

The Evangelical Alliance responded to this consultation and also encouraged members to respond.

Despite trade unions, small businesses, churches and many others expressing concern for the well-being of employees and their families if hours are extended, the government is going ahead with plans to devolve Sunday trading rules to local authorities.

This is in spite of the fact that before the general election, David Cameron told the Keep Sunday Special campaign, which the Alliance supports: "I can assure you that we have no current plans to relax the Sunday trading laws. We believe that the current system provides a reasonable balance between those who wish to see more opportunity to shop in large stores on a Sunday, and those who would like to see further restrictions.”

There is little evidence that people have been calling on their MPs to extend the Sunday hours and keeping the current limit on Sunday trading hours will promote family values.

John Ashcroft of Keep Sunday Special says: "It is hugely disappointing that this government should be trying yet again to fundamentally alter the balance and harmony of our national life in such an underhand manner.

“Keep Sunday Special believes in having time for family, friends and community. We believe in time to rest and enjoy ourselves. We believe in working hard and living life to the full. We believe in keeping just one day a week a bit special.

"There need to be some limits to protect the things that matter most – people who need to relax at the same time as the rest of us, families that need to spend time together - especially those with children, communities that need to be preserved, relationships that need protection, local businesses that need to be given a fair chance to survive and thrive, and we need to respect the views of people of faith."

It’s crucial that we each contact our MP to express our concern about this proposal that is currently going before parliament. You may feel like your one email won’t make a difference. But we know that each email does in fact have an impact. We saw this in the recent debate on assisted suicide with MPs overwhelmingly opposing the legalisation of assisted suicide. And we saw it in the improvements we called MPs to support in the new slavery law.

Please take a few moments to contact your MP. You can do this quickly and easily below. 

The Keep Sunday Special campaign has some great information available which may help you in your response.