[Shaun]

Sunday trading laws are to be suspended on eight weekends from 22 July during the Olympics and Paralympics, the chancellor is expected to announce.

In his Budget, George Osborne is likely to say large shops in England and Wales can trade for more than six hours.

It would require emergency legislation which officials hope to pass by Easter.

Ministers hope the move would boost shopping, but campaign group Keep Sunday Special said it would act as "cover for creeping deregulation".

Church leaders are also thought likely to oppose the plans, while Labour indicated it would consider them before deciding whether or not to back them.

The Sunday Trading Act 1994 states that large shops over 280 square metres in England and Wales are restricted to any six hours of continuous trading between 10:00 and 18:00 on Sundays.

And they cannot open at all on Easter Sunday.

It also includes specific measures to protect the rights of shop workers who do not wish to work on Sunday.

By temporarily suspending these rules, the government hopes hundreds of thousands of visitors who head to London for the sporting spectacle will take advantage of late-night shopping in the West End, boosting flagging retail figures.

There is also optimism that people throughout England and Wales will visit supermarkets, garden centres and DIY stores on the lighter summer evenings.

Although the relaxation would be temporary, the Treasury is expected to closely monitor its effects and a permanent move has not been ruled out if it proves a success.

Tory MP Nadine Dorries predicted that Mr Osborne would "face a barrage of criticism" as a result of the move.

She posted on Twitter: "Arrogant to impose without debate and vote of whole house.

"Is the coalition government secretly implementing an anti-Christian agenda. And if so, who is driving it, Cameron and Osborne or the LDs?"

Last year, Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey warned that a temporary lifting for the Games was likely to lead to a permanent change and could stop staff enjoying the "once-in-a-lifetime" chance to enjoy the sporting spectacle.

She had been responding to a bid by party colleague Mark Menzies to make the change with his own bill.

Mr Menzies said he was "absolutely delighted" that the plan was now being taken up by the Mr Osborne, adding that it would "send out a very powerful message that Britain is open for business".

The MP for Fylde, whose professional background is in retail, said he had been told an estimated 1,700 extra part-time jobs could possibly be created as a result at the new shopping centre near the Olympic park.

And he said he had "no desire at this stage" to see the looser rules applied beyond August.

Keep Sunday Special said the rumours were "profoundly worrying". and it totally opposed the "unnecessary" move.

Meanwhile, the body which represents convenience stores has already warned it could set an unwelcome precedent.

Association of Convenience Stores chief executive James Lowman said: "Any relaxation, even just for London during the Olympics, would erode our existing, popular, Sunday trading rules.

"Retailers will benefit greatly from the Olympics and they do not need a few extra hours on three additional Sundays to do it."

He said it the government made this concession, it would open the door for the big retail lobby to press for all sorts of exemptions for other events, and "undermine the whole principle".

In Scotland, Sunday trading has long been deregulated with shops deciding their own hours.

In Northern Ireland, legislation brought in 1997 allows large shops over 280 square metres to open between 13:00 and 18:00 on Sundays.

-likes this idea; thinks they're stupid anyway-