We have an economic crisis of low pay. We need an increase in the minimum wage and incentives to promote the living wage. Too many people in Basingstoke are in low pay jobs, topped up by benefits to help them pay the extortionate rents, fuel bills, travel costs and food prices. Take home pay has been hit hard while prices outstrip wage-packets. The Tories answer is to attack the working poor, while giving millionaires a tax cut. Osborne let the cat out of the bag in his Tory conference speech saying that benefits would be cut for the working poor - he has no idea what the real world is like. We have many ideas to tackle low pay but just three are: 1) A local jobs fund to invest in small to medium sized companies to create new jobs, skilled and paid apprenticeships, or to encourage new start ups. 2) A small business tax break and investment in rent rebates in key areas to stimulate successful and sustainable businesses who invest in new jobs. 3) An at least £8 minimum wage by 2020, and incentives for employers to move to a living wage. I will personally oppose a benefit cap that hurts peoples ability to heat their homes or put food on the table - poverty is the enemy not benefit claimants. This the 21st Century not Victorian England, there is no excuse for poverty in our country. Better pay, secure businesses, investment in wealth creation that generates jobs - thats what Im about. And not to forget for one moment that we must do more to support the growing ranks of the self employed, who need support and security in the tax system. There is so much more we can and should be doing to create wealth everyone can share in. independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/millions-face-years-on-the-breadline-britain-has-more-longterm-lowpaid-workers-than-ever-9818694.html
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 09:51:04 +0000
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