Equal Pay Day - the day when women across the UK effectively start working for free due to the gender pay gap comes three days earlier this year because the pay gap is back on the rise. That means women will work for free for the next 57 days.

Women still earn just 80p for every pound earned by a man.

A Labour Government will ask big companies (those with more than 250 staff) to publish their average hourly pay gap each year to expose whether men and women are being paid differently for doing the same work, and whether too few women occupy senior positions.

Gloria De Piero MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, said:

“Women are working an extra three days for free this year because the pay gap is back on the rise. Women shouldn’t have to wait another 50 years for Equal Pay which is why Labour will be calling a vote in Parliament to get big companies to publish their pay gap. If David Cameron’s Government doesn’t act, a Labour Government will.”