Westminster Diary: Redditch MP says 'we will end low pay' - The Redditch Standard

Westminster Diary: Redditch MP says 'we will end low pay'

Redditch Editorial 6th Oct, 2019 Updated: 7th Oct, 2019   0

DESPITE the Opposition trying to stop it, the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester went ahead as planned and focused on a bold domestic agenda for post-Brexit Britain, writes MP Rachel Maclean.

Of course the main focus of conference was getting Brexit done.

I still believe the best outcome is to leave with a deal, one which protects EU citizens’ rights and the rights of British citizens in EU countries, but also a deal which provides us with a smooth transition to our future relationship with the EU.

However if a deal cannot be agreed then we must leave without one on October 31. There must be no more delay.




But away from Brexit, we talked loudly and proudly about so much more.

We will end low pay by setting a new target for the National Living Wage, benefitting more than four million workers by giving a pay rise of over £4,000 to the average full-time worker on the National Living Wage.


This means that, on current forecasts, the National Living Wage will be £10.50 by 2024.

At conference we also re-affirmed our commitment to keeping our nation safe. The Home Secretary announced an additional £20 million fund to tackle county lines drugs gangs.

The Home Secretary also announced a £10 million ringfenced fund over the next 12 months to equip 10,000 more officers with Tasers.

£220 million will also spent over the next year to transform bus service across England, we’re committing £5 billion to support broadband to the hardest-to-reach 20 per cent of the country and we will bring forward a bold package to speed up the planning process, improve performance for users and increase the level of building our country needs.

It’s only the Conservative Party which will get Brexit done, unite our country and pursue a bold domestic agenda which will benefit the lives of the people of Redditch.

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