Norwich MP pitches four-day week as way of 'helping country recover'

Clive Lewis, MP for Norwich South, has been offered a meeting with a Treasury minister to discuss a shorter working wby . Credit: PA Images

A Treasury minister has committed to holding talks with Norwich South MP Clive Lewis over a four-day working week.

Mr Lewis, from the Labour party, said a reduced working week would be a way of "helping the country recover and creating a better future post-Covid 19".

Exchequer Secretary and Saffron Walden MP Kemi Badenoch offered him a meeting to discuss this prospect.

Mr Lewis said in the Commons: "Will the Chancellor commit to the Treasury exploring a four-day working week as part of its economic planning for the recovery and will he also meet with me and other members to discuss how we can work together to make shorter working times a reality?"

Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch. Credit: PA

Ms Badenoch replied: "The Government believes that the best way of dealing with these issues is for workers to look at existing options available for flexible working and discuss them directly with their employers, rather than the Government legislating for the entire UK workforce.

"But I am very happy to meet him to discuss further on this topic."