Port plan to go ahead after row over minister’s comments

Reynold’s comments came after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also told the BBC’s Newscast on Friday that Haigh’s views were not those of the government’s.

On Saturday a government source said the prime minister had confidence in Haigh. Her department says she will be attending the investment summit on Monday.

Haigh’s comments had coincided with the Department for Transport announcing new legislation aimed at protecting seafarers’ jobs from so-called “fire and rehire” practices of “rogue employers”.

Former Tory donor John Caudwell, who announced he would be voting Labour ahead of July’s general election, said it was “politically stupid” to criticise companies when ministers were seeking more investment into the UK.

The Phones 4U founder told Laura Kuenssberg that ministers should speak to firms privately about their working practices, “rather than just blast them on the TV”.

Haigh’s remarks have also attracted criticism from the Conservatives, with shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake arguing Labour “don’t understand business”.

However, Liam Byrne, the Labour MP who chairs the Commons business committee, has defended her comments.

He said Haigh had been “absolutely right to say the behaviour of P&O, owned by DP World, in the past has been “completely unacceptable”.

DP World has said the expansion of the London Gateway port would bring Thurrock in Essex hundreds of jobs.

The United Arab Emirates-based company also owns the container port in Southampton.

A spokesperson for the company told the BBC it had been “given the clarity we need” after “constructive and positive discussions with the government”.

“We look forward to participating in Monday’s International Investment Summit,” they added.