We have over the years been hard on George Osborne; his failure to close the deficit, his failure to simplify taxes, his HS2 boondoggle and his fondness for dressing up like Bob the Builder at the drop of a hard hat. Osborne always claimed he wanted to make the Conservatives the “party of the workers”. His living wage policy has kicked in and it can be fairly said to have generated the fastest rise in earnings since the pre-Thatcher days of high inflation.
Even the redistributional analysis loving wonks at the Resolution Foundation admit “The introduction of the National Living Wage has well and truly made its mark on pay across Britain.” A 6% hike in the earnings of the low paid is more than Labour ever oversaw in 13 years in government. Let’s hope it doesn’t undermine jobs and competitiveness…
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