Having already faced the ire of farmers and businesses within months of entering Government, it is perhaps no surprise that Labour’s pensions minister gave an unusually straight answer when asked about a four-day working week for civil servants in a recent interview.

So shocked was the presenter asking Emma Reynolds the questions on Times Radio on Wednesday morning that she was momentarily lost for words.

Reynolds was being asked about proposals for civil servants to work a four-day week for the same amount of pay. Union bosses claim this could save government departments millions, with workers taking fewer sick days and better staff retention.

Reynolds however, was having none of it. Clearly she can spot a political bear trap. “They won’t get one [a four-day week] because we’re not living in the 70s,” she said.

She went on: “I see the benefit for those who want to have the flexibility to be able to work part-time. I’m a mum of two young children. And you know, sometimes I wish that I worked part-time. But I don’t think… that civil servants, as a general rule, should work four days rather than five.”

It was Kemi Badenoch, the new Conservative leader, who........

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