Lobby group has been appointed
Campaign group Deregulate will step up its fight to relax Sunday trading laws, according to reports today.

It is understood the group has appointed lobby group Good Relations to organise an offensive in Whitehall.

The move comes in response to growing opposition within Parliament to proposals to extend superstore opening hours from six to nine hours.

So far, more than 270 MPs across the three major parties have signed an Early Day Motion against extending trading hours for larger stores. At least a further 30 ministers and ministerial aides, unable to sign the motion because of parliamentary convention, are thought to have offered their support privately.

Last month, Deregulate suffered a huge knock-back when Tesco, the UK's largest retailer, withdrew its membership to the group.

A cost benefit analysis commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry found a relaxation of the law would mean a£1.4 billion increase in the retail spend every year.

The 1994 Sunday Trading Act allows large shops to open for up to six hours between 10am and 6pm. Stores under 3,000 sq ft (280 sq m) in size are not subject to any limits.