Poll shows moving to a four-day working week backed by those who vote Labour – and Reform

The vast majority of Labour voters support Keir Starmer moving the country to a shorter working week, according to a new poll.

Nearly three-quarters, 72 per cent, back the idea, pollsters Survation found.

Tory voters were less keen, with less than half, just 43 per cent, in favour.

But, perhaps surprisingly, so were 59 per cent of those who voted for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, almost the same as the overall average of 60 per cent.

Campaigners are preparing to launch a fresh pilot for a four-day working week in the hope the new Labour government will be more open-minded to the scheme.

Run by the UK’s 4 Day Week Campaign the project is due to take place in November and report its findings to the government next summer.

South Cambridgeshire District Council previously ran a successful trial of a four-day week. A report into the controversial pilot suggested it maintained the quality of its services.

The polling, commissioned by the think tank The Autonomy Institute, asked members of the public whether they would support the government creating a plan to move the UK towards a shorter working week with no loss of pay by 2030.

Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, said: “Our polling shows that if Keir Starmer were to move ahead with policies to enable the country to transition to a four-day working week, he would have the support of vast swathes of the UK population.

“The UK works longer full-time hours than virtually all of our European neighbours and workers have not experienced a meaningful reduction in their working hours since the 1980s.

“Labour’s New Deal for Working People is a good start but what is absent is a serious plan around working time reduction: if the priority is health, decent working conditions and business innovation, this needs to be part of the programme.”

Peter Dowd, the Labour MP for Bootle, said: “I fully support Labour’s New Deal for Working People yet to fully transform the workplace we need to see policies coming forward for a shorter working week.”

“After decades of working some of the longest hours in Europe, British workers are burnt out, overworked and in desperate need of a break.”

“A four-day week with no loss of pay would give workers a much better work-life balance and the evidence shows it would also improve productivity.”

The Department for Business and Trade has been approached for comment.

Source: UK Politics - www.independent.co.uk