"The current situation with enormous stockpiles of textiles sitting in warehouses is utterly ludicrous. Retailers ordered goods under the impression they were operating in a free trade market place, only to be told quotas have been re-instated without any consultation or discussion."
"The timing of these quotas suggests that it was a result of French pressure in the run up to the EU Constitution Referendum in June. It is totally unfair that British retailers should end up paying for the consequences of internal French politics."
Norman Lamb has written to Alan Johnson and to Peter Mandelson to clarify why quotas were re-established in this way, and to ensure the same situation does not arise again.
