The Trade Union Congress has called on the government to change laws to allow workers the right to take paid leave to train and ease the skills shortage.

It says that long hours and a lack of support from mangers and government has led to UK workers lagging behind workers across the globe.

Liz Smith, director of the TUC, says: “We need new legal rights for paid time-off to train. Such rights are especially important for those without a qualification at the standard expected of school leavers.”