The news will be welcomed by business groups who have long held that a working week which can be flexible and extended if workers wish to, is essential to the economic prosperity of the UK. Trade unions and campaign groups continue to claim that this is a myth, and hold up other European countries such as France and the Netherlands as shining examples of how to prosper with a good work / life balance.

The Government claims the collapse of talks as a victory to the UK in Europe, continuing to assert that the right of a worker to determine his or her own working hours is vital.

In Impactt’s experience vulnerable workers tend to work excessive hours in high risk industries, which is enabled by the use of the opt-out. We are disappointed that political in-fighting may have prevented MEPs from securing further protection for such workers from exploitation.