Leading article: In favour of shopping on a Sunday

The Chancellor deserves full marks for the plan to waive Sunday trading restrictions for the duration of the Olympics. In fact, he should not stop there. He should scrap them altogether.

Limited opening hours are a relic of a bygone age, when lots of people did not work and could therefore do all their shopping during the week. Opponents of the proposal to change the rules have two main bugbears. One is that it is unfair to those who work in shops. The other is that it will undermine family life. Neither is sufficient case against.

It is no great challenge to ensure that existing staff are given the choice with regards to the longer shift. And for those who feel that open shops spoil the tranquil mood? Simple. Don't go to them. Meanwhile, for the majority of us – who work full time and struggle to fit everything into a too-short weekend – normal opening hours on a Sunday would be a blessing.