Badenoch's book sparks wage row

Labour chair Bridget Phillipson has accused Tory leader Kemi Badenoch of wanting to ditch the minimum wage after reading passages in Badenoch's new book The Right Way.

Badenoch criticises state wage mandates

In The Right Way, Badenoch wrote that Britain took the wrong way in the late nineteen nineties when Labour governments believed prosperity could be mandated by ministers, including through wage controls.

“Britain took the wrong way in the late 1990s when Labour governments came to believe that prosperity could be mandated by ministers.”

Phillipson attacks Tory wage stance

Phillipson said the Conservatives opposed the minimum wage when Labour introduced it and remain opposed now. She claimed Badenoch wants to see workers made worse off during a cost of living crisis.

“It's the same old Tories. They never learn.”

Current minimum wage stands at twelve seventy-one

As of April this year the national living wage has been twelve pounds seventy-one per hour. The rate is set by UK government after receiving recommendations from the Low Pay Commission.

Phillipson challenges Badenoch to clarify

Phillipson asked Badenoch to explain why she is unhappy that workers were paid a minimum of three pounds sixty per hour, or whether she thinks they should be paid less than that now.

“Kemi Badenoch needs to explain why she is so unhappy that workers were paid a minimum of £3.60 per hour.”

Badenoch responds with past insult

When asked about Phillipson's claims, a source close to Badenoch referred The Independent back to an earlier clash where Badenoch called Phillipson a spiteful class warrior over VAT on private school fees.