The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Javid announces plans to raise national living wage to £10.50
The national living wage could be raised to £10.50 an hour under plans announced by the chancellor, as he sought to move the Tory conference on from allegations about Boris Johnson’s personal life.
Sajid Javid said his “ambitious” proposal – which would also see the age threshold lowered to cover all workers over the age of 21 – would give four million people a pay rise.
He said he wanted the wage to be raised to match two-thirds of median earnings, which would represent a 95p hourly increase in 2024 compared to the current system.
“Over the next five years, we will make the UK one of the first major economies in the world to end low pay altogether,” he said.
“To do that, I am setting a new target for the national living wage – raising it to match two-thirds of median earnings.
“That means, on current forecasts, this ambitious plan will bring the national living wage up to £10.50 – giving four million people a well-earned pay rise.”
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: “This pathetic attempt at catch-up by the Conservatives will fool nobody.
“Labour will introduce £10 as a minimum as soon as we take office and, rising with living costs, it will mean everybody over 16 years of age will be earning comfortably more than £10.50 an hour by 2024.”
The chancellor’s announcements came after allegations around the prime minister’s personal life overshadowed the start of the conference.
Mr Johnson was forced to deny claims that he squeezed the thigh of a female journalist under the table during a private lunch.