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Lack of support for living wage                  11/11/14

 

Sir,

The recent press release from David Stewart, the New Labour list MSP, highlights a serious problem for many families where the bread winner does not earn the living wage although working full time. With Tory austerity measures, which are fully supported by New Labour, many families are facing terrible levels of poverty. Our own council here in the Western Isles has received criticism recently from Unison on this matter.

Unfortunately many of Mr Stewart's Labour Party colleagues don't support the living wage. Where does our local council convener and Labour Party election hopeful Norman MacDonald stand on this issue? How many other Labour-led councils across the UK fail to pay the living wage?

The irony of all this is that the Labour Party could have easily made the living wage a legal requirement during their 13 years in power. Instead they opted for the lesser minimum wage, leaving working people to depend upon government hand-outs such as tax credits. This is simply subsidising businesses with taxpayer's money by the back door. Just like the Tories, Labour now put big business before the working man.

 

Archie Harper

27 Shulishader

Point

Isle of Lewis

 

 

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