Labour faces accusations of breaking manifesto pledge over minimum wage for young people
The implications are bigger than you think
Source: The Guardian
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EU leaders have agreed to cut emissions by 90% by 2035, the most ambitious climate deal ever. Eastern European countries secured €50B in transition funding. The deal affects all 27 member states and sets a new global standard for climate action.
Greens say Labour has ‘no respect for young people’ amid reports chancellor will pause equalisation of minimum wage for under-21s with that paid to older workersJonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, has not contested reports saying that, in the budget tomorrow, John Healey, the chancellor, will pause the process of equalising the lower national minimum wage paid to people under the age of 21 with the more generous national living wage that applies to older workers. In an interview on the BBC this morning, Reynolds was asked to respond to a story suggesting the equalisation process has been put on hold because of concerns about youth unemployment.
John Healey will announce plans to increase the minimum wage by nearly 4% but slow the rise for young people after warnings that they are being priced out of jobs. The Times has been told that the national living wage, which applies to those aged 21 and over, is expected to rise from £12.
71 to around £13. 20 – an increase of 3.
The Development
9%. The manifesto pledge on equalisation still applies, but it was always clear it would happen over time and we would take into account, as the minimum wage uprating each year always does, the relative strength of the labour market and other pressures …Of course, you want not just good wages, but good work.
And the way this has always been done – it is a balance of making sure the pressures on the labour market are taken into account. That is the approach you will see confirmed [in the budget].
Anyone doing a day’s work, needs to be paid the same rate for the same job. A young person’s rent and food bill is no less because they are young, so they need to receive the same wage.
Background & Context
Healey and Burnham are now breaking a manifesto pledge to young people that even Starmer managed to keep. Labour have no respect for young people, who appear to just be there for cheap labour for the wealthy and their corporate donors.
[It] wouldn’t be my cup of tea, but I wouldn’t ban anybody from doing so … I don’t want us to get into a world of cancel culture. I’m not going to have run a party where we say you can’t talk about that person or that person.
We have to be sensible about vetting. And we are.
The EU Green Deal is the European Union's plan to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. It covers everything from energy and transport to agriculture and biodiversity. This new agreement accelerates the timeline with stricter 2035 targets.
"This is a historic day for Europe and for the planet. We have shown that ambitious climate action and economic prosperity can go hand in hand."
27
EU member states affected
€50B
Estimated economic impact
2035
Target implementation year
The agreement came after intense negotiations, with Eastern European countries securing additional transition support for coal-dependent regions. Poland, which had been the main holdout, agreed to the deal after securing €50 billion in additional Just Transition funding.
Environmental groups have given the deal a cautious welcome, though some argue the targets still fall short of what's needed to limit global warming to 1.5°C. Industry representatives, meanwhile, have expressed concerns about competitiveness but welcomed the regulatory clarity.
Written by The Guardian
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