A vote by a European Parliament committee has placed a new threat on the UK’s opt-out to the working time directive.

The employment and social affairs committee voted by three to one to scrap the opt-out to the directive, which bans staff from working more than 48 hours a week. The vote, which follows an amendment to the directive made by left-wing Spanish MEP Alejandro Cercas, flies in the face of an agreement in June by employment ministers that sought to preserve the opt-out.