The Trade Union Congress has proposed a motion arguing that high heels are “demeaning to women” and contribute to “long-term injuries”.

Instead the TUC says women should wear “sensible shoes” and proposes a one inch heel limit.

“Wearing high heels can cause long-term foot problems, such as blisters, corns and calluses, and also serious foot, knee and back pain and damaged joints,” said the TUC.

“More must be done to raise awareness of this problem so that women workers and their feet are protected.”

However, Shropshire Star Business Editor Amy Bould has a somewhat different opinion:

“I own a pair of five inch red patent shoes with a one inch platform. They are killer heels – shiny, sexy, cute and vertigo-inducing.

Wearing them, I am transformed from a 5ft 4in average height working mother-of-two into a 5ft 10in business journalist who feels she can take on the world.

The Imelda Marcos of the Shropshire Star, I have heels in all colours of the rainbow, with bows and diamantes, strappy sandals in gold and silver and mules with feathers on top. Of course, they’re not all I wear for work – just like I’d never come in without lipstick and in a bikini.

Like millions of women working in an often male-dominated environment, my shoes are part of a work uniform which means I can at least look most of them in the eye.

So it’s laughable, isn’t it?

Only a bunch of men in suits could come up with the idea that high heels should be banned in the workplace.

The TUC, of mostly male members, thinks women should all be wearing sensible shoes so that we don’t feel demeaned.

To add insult to injury they say they’re also concerned about the long-term damage to our feet.

Women in the workplace have enough hoops to jump through to be seen as equals. And let’s face it, if we can go through childbirth, I think we can manage a couple of bunions.

I suspect the small men of the TUC just find women towering above them intimidating, and are happy to have women wearing the heels in the bedroom but not in the boardroom.

Will someone please introduce the Clarks-wearing fossils to Monsieur Louboutin – preferably on the end of a stiletto?”