Sluggish wage growth means the average employee is £3,500 a year worse off since the Conservatives came to power, according to Labour analysis of Treasury figures before chancellor Philip Hammond’s first autumn statement next week. Compared with the average wage growth under Labour, full-time employees are £67 a week or £292 a month worse off, the party’s report found. In contrast, the average growth under the last Labour government was 3.2%, though growth fell significantly post-2008. Labour will use slow wage growth as a key argument against plans to cut universal credit, which Hammond is being urged to reverse in his autumn statement on 23 November. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams.

Source: The Guardian November 14, 2016 00:01 UTC