HELP: Minimum wage makes a difference

Published: 1:37 PM August 19, 2008 Updated: 2:42 AM February 23, 2021

I AM writing in response to Andrew Hunt s letter on August 15. I cannot help but disagree with his comments which suggest that the minimum wage is detrimental to young people. As someone who has actually been paid the minimum wage in two jobs, whilst age

I AM writing in response to Andrew Hunt's letter on August 15.

I cannot help but disagree with his comments which suggest that the minimum wage is detrimental to young people.

As someone who has actually been paid the minimum wage in two jobs, whilst aged under 21, I can appreciate that any increase makes a real difference.

The minimum wage increases the standard of living for the poorest workers, reduces reliance on the welfare state and acts as a catalyst in expanding the economy by increasing spending capacity, thereby creating further employment.

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When the minimum wage was introduced in 1998 Mr Hunt's arguments were used by Conservative MPs, including Malcolm Moss, to suggest that unemployment would grow, whereas in reality it shrank dramatically as three million extra jobs were created and long-term youth unemployment was cut by 75 per cent.

Now that it is clear that there is a correlation between how helping the poorest in society actually helps us all, the Conservatives have done a U-turn and shifted away from their obsession with voodoo economics.