Cameron distances himself from plans for three year paid paternity leave and extra bank holidays

The radical proposals were drawn up by the "general wellbeing policy group" appointed by Mr Cameron to come up with ideas on how to improve quality of life in Britain.

But within hours of the document being leaked, the Tory leadership insisted none of the ideas would become official policy.

"None of these ideas is in the final document," said an insider. "They have been dumped."

The policy group was chaired by Ali Miraj, the Tory A-lister who rowed with Mr Cameron after criticising his leadership.

The public disagreement may explain why the party was so quick to distance itself from the report.

Last week the party was forced to deny claims it was preparing massive cuts to public services after they were recommended by John Redwood in his report on economic competitiveness.

Other plans in the latest review, a draft of which was leaked to Channel 4 News, included compulsory jury-style community service and giving voters the right to sack poorly performing public officials.

The document also proposes "tranquillity maps" to help councils counter noise pollution, the planting of more trees, exempting village shops from council tax, an emphasis on cycling, and exchanges between rural and urban schools.

It also suggests that all parents with a child under-three should have the option of taking paid leave to look after their child. Payment would be contingent on attending antenatal and parenting courses.

Workers would also have the right to trade part of their salary for additional holiday entitlement, and the self employed would be entitled to statutory sick pay.

"Materialism is having a detrimental impact on our society," the document states.

The recommendations were fed into the main quality of life policy review, chaired by former cabinet minister John Gummer and advised by Zac Goldsmith, the millionaire Tory candidate.

Insiders said none of the more radical proposals would be included in the final document by Mr Gummer.

A spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses said: "We are in favour of the work-life balance but there needs to be a balance."

Britain has fewer public holidays than any other leading industrialised nation and the TUC says it wants an extra holiday to celebrate community work and community values. Gordon Brown is considering a day to celebrate "Britishness".