A worker sacked by Marks & Spencer for leaking information about the high street retailer’s plans to slash redundancy pay has lost his appeal against the dismissal.

The GMB union said it would now press ahead with a claim for unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal on behalf of the whistleblower, Tony Goode.

He was sacked last month after he told The Times details of plans to reduce redundancy payment for M&S staff by up to 25 per cent. M&S watered down the proposals after the proposals emerged.

Maria Ludkin, the GMB's legal officer, said today: "We are very disappointed that M&S management has not seen fit to reverse their ridiculous decision to sack Tony Goode for voicing widely held opposition to the company's plans to cut the redundancy pay scheme.

"We will press on to an employment tribunal and we are confident that M&S will eventually be forced to do the right thing.

"In the meantime, the GMB's campaign to secure justice for Tony Goode and to end corporate bullying by M&S goes on."

M&S has repeatedly argued that it has no plans for any job cuts despite the new redundancy terms, which remain among the best on the high street.

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