So much for Farage being a ‘man of the people’.
Reform UK clearly holds younger people in contempt after party leader Nigel Farage suggested that that the minimum wage may be “too high” for younger workers, as he laid out his party’s plans for the economy in a major speech yesterday.
Alongside u-turning on his party’s promise to cut taxes, Farage also laid out a return to austerity as he vowed to bring public spending under control. He also refused to commit to the triple lock on pensions.
Asked whether he thought the minimum wage was too high, Farage said: “There’s an argument the minimum wage is too high for younger workers, particularly given that we’ve lowered the level at which NIC [national insurance contributions] is paid to £5,000 a year.
“So do one or the other, do one or the other – either lift the cap at which NI is due, or lower the minimum wage for young workers.”
The minimum wage is currently £12.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, and £10 for those between 18 and 20.
So much for Farage being a ‘man of the people’.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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