A recent poll reveals that a significant majority of Labour voters are in favor of Keir Starmer’s proposal to transition the UK to a shorter working week.
According to the poll conducted by Survation, 72 percent of Labour supporters back the idea, which is gaining momentum as campaigners push for broader acceptance across the country.
In contrast, support among Conservative voters is more divided, with only 43 percent endorsing the idea of a reduced workweek.
Interestingly, 59 percent of those who voted for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK also expressed support for the initiative, closely aligning with the overall national average of 60 percent.
The campaign for a four-day working week is gaining traction as activists prepare to launch a new pilot project.
This initiative, spearheaded by the UK’s 4 Day Week Campaign, is set to commence in November, with findings expected to be presented to the government next summer. The goal is to persuade the new Labour government to consider this progressive shift as part of its agenda.
One of the most notable trials of a four-day workweek took place in South Cambridgeshire District Council, where the controversial pilot was deemed a success.
A report on the trial indicated that the quality of services remained consistent, bolstering the argument that a reduced workweek could be implemented without sacrificing productivity.
The recent poll, commissioned by The Autonomy Institute, posed a critical question to the public: would they support a government-led plan to transition the UK to a shorter working week by 2030, without any loss of pay?
The response was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting a growing desire among the British workforce for a better work-life balance.
British Workers Desperate for a Shorter Workweek
Will Stronge, the director of research at The Autonomy Institute, highlighted the importance of this potential policy shift.
“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 neighbors, 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 program.”
Will Stronge
Peter Dowd, Labour MP for Bootle, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for change.
“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.”
Peter Dowd
As the debate over a shorter working week continues, the push for change appears to be gathering steam, with many hoping that the new Labour government will take a more open-minded approach to this potentially transformative policy.
The Department for Business and Trade has yet to comment on the matter, but with public support growing, the issue is likely to remain at the forefront of political discussion in the coming months.
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