Liz McInnes quizzes David Cameron over low pay in Heywood and Middleton

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Liz McInnes MP

On 4 March Labour’s MP for Heywood and Middleton Liz McInnes, asked the Prime Minister why so many of her constituents were being paid less than the living wage.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/94336/heywood-and-middleton-feature-in-the-top-10-of-living-wage-black-spots-nationally

During Parliament’s weekly Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms McInnes said: “Recent figures produced by the TUC have shown that 40% of workers in my constituency earn less than the living wage, with women particularly badly affected - 53% of women workers earn less than £16,000 a year. What is the Prime Minister going to do to ensure that workers in my constituency start to feel the recovery?”

The Prime Minister responded: “What we do to help all people in this situation is to make sure that the minimum wage is properly enforced ... and if we get a Conservative Government after the next election, we will raise that threshold to £12,500 so that someone can work 30 hours on the minimum wage and pay no income tax whatsoever.”

Liz McInnes later added: “I see growing numbers of people in Heywood and Middleton who are working 40 hours or more a week and struggling to make ends meet. They need help and support to improve their incomes and maintain a reasonable quality of life for themselves and their families.”

“While the Labour policy of the national minimum wage has helped a lot of people, despite being opposed by the Conservatives, we now need at least a higher minimum wage and preferably a properly enforced living wage. The Prime Minister failed once again to give a helpful answer. His answer also implied that people working full-time on minimum wage will pay tax and, therefore, will still be struggling under a Conservative government.”