A Tory peer has argued Brexit is a good thing because it will mean the end of safety laws that protect young people from long working hours. Lord Harris, a retail tycoon estimated to be worth more than £100m, claimed he could only employ staff for 35 hours a week under current EU laws. However, the European Working Time Directive states employees should not be forced to work longer than 48 hours, and they can opt-out. During an interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Lord Harris was asked to explain how leaving the EU would help young people. “Because we’ll have more freedom of laws,” he explained, adding: “Well if you take a retailer, we can only keep our staff on for 35 hours a week, I think it is now.” TUC digital content editor Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin commented that working time law is “not a restrictive regulation or an attack on business, it’s a common sense law that protects people from being forced to work unhealthy hours.” She added that despite Theresa May’s promise to ensure that workers’ rights are fully protected and maintained, “time and again, senior Tories have undermined that promise, couching their support for Brexit in attacks on workers’ rights.” She concluded: “As Tories continue to publicly denounce workers’ rights legislation, vague promises from government simply aren’t good enough. Working people need a concrete guarantee that their rights are safe from the likes of Lord Harris.” In May, the TUC warned health and safety protections were at risk as result of Brexit