Former P&O workers fury as company evades legal action after laying off 800 workers

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Seafarers are devastated that ferry company P&O will not be prosecuted for sacking 800 staff over video message saying Transport Secretary 'foolish "Grant Shapps should resign for lack of action

P&O ferries moored off Kent - the company laid off 800 sailors in March (

Image: PA)

Devastated seafarers today urged transport chief Grant Shapps to resign after P&O escaped legal action for sacking 800 of them.

News of the legal release came after the ferry company's parent company, DP World, reported a staggering 52% rise in profits to £600million in just six months. This sparked fury from unions and staff who lost everything when given the boot via video message.

Second chef John Lansdown, sacked from the Pride of Canterbury, said: 'Grant Shapps should resign. He's lost his mind.

"He could have taken away their license to operate, but he didn't. The government's failure to intervene gave the companies the green light to do something like this again.

"They came in, kicked us all out, and ran away."

John Lansdown worked as a sous chef on a P&O ferry until the massive sacking

John, 40, added: "The government values ​​DP World's investment in the UK at over 800 livelihoods. I am devastated."

The secretary of the Dover branch of the RMT Union, Lee Davison, also called on Mr Shapps to go and called the failed prosecution an "absolute disgrace".