MPs urge chancellor to consider four-day week for UK

A group of cross-party MPs have urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to consider a four-day working week for the UK post-coronavirus, arguing the policy could be 'a powerful tool to recover from this crisis'.

The MPs – from Labour, the Scottish National party and the Green party – have written a letter to Sunak asking him to set up a commission to explore the option, similar to Scotland’s post-Covid-19 Futures Commission which is looking at the possibility of a four-day working week to generate more jobs.

The letter, signed by MPs including the former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, SNP MP Mhairi Black and Green MP Caroline Lucas, said a four-day working week would reduce stress and overwork, boost mental health and well-being, and increase productivity.

It argues that 'shorter hours have been used throughout history as a way of responding to economic crises', citing the reduction in working hours after the Great Depression in the 1930s to reduce unemployment.

The Labour Party committed to delivering a 32-hour working week within a decade if elected during last year's election campaign, and McDonnell showed particular interest in exploring the possibility of a four-day week.

Aidan Harper, from the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: “Work has changed for ever as a result of this crisis and we want to make sure we have a better model of work emerging from it as we had going in.

“The benefits of a four-day week are boundless; better mental health and wellbeing, work shared more equally across the economy, greater productivity at work, and the potential to engage in more environmentally sustainable behaviours.”