Waitrose faces backlash for firing employee who stopped shoplifter

Richard Walker, chair of Iceland and cost of living tsar, has offered a job to Walker Smith, the former Waitrose worker who was fired for confronting a shoplifter.

Smith, 54, had worked at waitrose for 17 years and was dismissed after a brief struggle with the suspect.

In a LinkedIn post, Walker wrote: 'You're welcome to a job with us. We even share the same name…'

An Iceland spokesperson confirmed they had been in touch with Smith and offered him a position. Smith was interviewed on Tuesday and conversations about the role are progressing rapidly.

An Iceland source praised Smith's interview, describing him as a 'dedicated retail colleague'.

Walker's job offer comes after Smith's sacking sparked a public outcry. The 54-year-old had tried to stop a shoplifter taking items from an Easter egg display, including Lindt chocolate bunnies, at the Clapham Junction branch.

Smith said he grabbed the shoplifter's bag but it was snatched back, leading to a brief struggle and the items falling to the floor. He admitted throwing one of the broken bunnies towards some shopping trolleys in frustration, insisting he did not aim at the fleeing suspect.

Waitrose doubled down on its decision to fire Smith, stating there is a 'serious danger to life' in tackling shoplifters and it 'refuses to put anyone's life at risk'. The supermarket claimed its policies are clearly understood and must be strictly followed to avoid notifying families of a tragedy.

Politicians have criticized Waitrose for sacking Smith and failing to reinstate him. Nigel Farage tweeted: 'We are now a country that favours criminals over law enforcers.' The shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, called on Waitrose to reinstate Smith, accusing the supermarket of acting 'disgracefully'.