I always thought the Speaker's role was simply that of a chairman of the

[IUFG]

I was. B.Sc (econ) in Monetary Economics.

Have you any idea how tedious it is explaining to Corbynistas that they don't have the first ****ing clue about economics and that by definition, they guy who introduced the minimum wage can't be described as a "neo-liberal."

The NMW / NLW - now there was a tool to fúck up the lower end of the labour market.

Instead of prescribing the rate of pay why didn't they incentivise companies, through tax breaks, to pay their staff more?
Of course, the public sector pay their staff higher than NMW / NLW levels and they contract out the lower paid, 'dirty side' of things to private companies.

The NMW / NLW has become completely stigmatised. And to get to the promised land of the NLW at £9/hr by 2020 is going to require a near 10% increase next year.

That, my friends, will have a significant economic impact not only through those at the bottom getting a signifiant rise but maintaining differentials with those paid slightly above the NMW / NLW.

Who'da thunk politics and economics had an effect on each other..?

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

The NMW / NLW - now there was a tool to fúck up the lower end of the labour market.

Instead of prescribing the rate of pay why didn't they incentivise companies, through tax breaks, to pay their staff more?
Of course, the public sector pay their staff higher than NMW / NLW levels and they contract out the lower paid, 'dirty side' of things to private companies.

The NMW / NLW has become completely stigmatised. And to get to the promised land of the NLW at £9/hr by 2020 is going to require a near 10% increase next year.

That, my friends, will have a significant economic impact not only through those at the bottom getting a signifiant rise but maintaining differentials with those paid slightly above the NMW / NLW.

Who'da thunk politics and economics had an effect on each other..?

I agree with much of that. But as I say, try explaining to a Corbynista that a law that prevents the supply and demand of labour setting the price (wage) by creating an artificial minimum is the very antithesis of neo-liberalism. I swear to God, some of them think it means invading the Middle East.

I pulled one up on the Graun for using the term neo-liberalism once, and he replied: "Ok. Well, capitalism then." It's a nightmare when all your mates who are political are ignorant lefties. They mean well, of course, that's why people become lefties. But they don't like it when you explain that what they've picked up from the internet is one-sided at best and often downright inaccurate. This is why I generally avoid social media (he says on a message board.)