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..?