Britain is now closer to having to cap the working week to 48 hours after Euro MPs voted to end its opt-out of the working time directive. However, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has expressed his opposition to removing the opt-out and said that the limit would be "bad for business". A final decision is expected early in 2009 and, if Britain is told to end its opt-out, the law will come into force by 2012.

For more on this story see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7786825.stm

And:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE4BH5QZ20081218