Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales MEP Jill Evans, has welcomed the European Commission statement on measures to protect workers when companies restructure.

The announcement was partly triggered by job losses at Corus as well as Marks and Spencer. In the past two months, more than 250,000 people have lost their jobs worldwide.

Speaking today, Ms Evans, who represents the whole of Wales in the European Parliament, said:

"I urge the UK government to support the new European proposals on consultation of workers.

"The UK government has been blocking these laws for the past two years but their experience with Corus must surely have shown them they were wrong.

"New Labour claimed that they were outraged at the way Corus behaved. These new European laws would mean that, in future, companies would not be allowed to do this.

"This is a real test of New Labour policy on the rights of workers and communities versus big business."

Diwedd/Ends.