Work consumes much of our adult lives.  It is the place where we find satisfaction, friendship and even romance.  Yet while many of us would agree that we should work to live rather than live to work, nobody is indifferent about their experience of employment.  How we work, when we work and how long we work determines our overall quality of life and can affect our general health and life expectancy.

Yet despite its recognised importance, the quality of work as experienced by the majority has not featured on the political agenda for some considerable time. This is a genuine surprise, not least because a political party that can speak directly to the experience of most workers might expect to be rewarded with a substantial electoral dividend.