Stinging criticism was made today of the decision to ask the taxpayer to foot the bill for a tribunal payout to 150 axed Colchester workers.

The employees of printing firm Spottiswoode Ballantyne won a share of nearly £500,000 after an industrial tribunal ruled they had not been given the required 90-day notice that the firm was closing.

But it later emerged that rather than the receivers or the firm's parent company footing the bill, the taxpayer would, via the Department of Trade and Industry.

Today, Colchester MP Bob Russell was highly critical of the news.

He said while he believed the workforce was "absolutely entitled" to the cash because they had been "very badly treated," he felt it was wrong that the taxpayers should stump up for the payouts.

He added: "It is right that the workforce do not lose out financially - they have already lost their jobs - but at the end of the day I do not think it's right that the public purse should have to foot the bill.

"We have lost a number of jobs in Colchester recently and in Spottiswoode Ballantyne we have lost a proud factory which was a going concern."

Mr Russell said he felt a better solution would be to fund the compensation cash from the money made on the sale of the factory which is on the market for £800,000.

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