Rishi Sunak might want people back in the office – but it isn’t within his power to force them there

There are ‘social capital’ reasons to mix with colleagues, writes Hamish McRae

The chancellor says it is in the interests of young people to return to the office (PA)

The push to get people back to the office has begun in earnest.

Rishi Sunak has come out again urging people to do so, stressing how important it is for career development for the young. He said he would not have made strong relationships in his first job had he been working from home. But while you can see why the chancellor should seek to urge people to do so, since the disruption to the economy has been massive, this is not within the power of politicians to determine.

They can use the power of the law to stop people going to the office, just as they can shut down air travel. But they can’t force people to work in a way they don’t want to. Economics will determine what happens, not politics.