October 2nd 2023.
Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is set to announce a major policy initiative at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester today. He plans to introduce a higher national living wage of at least £11 an hour and a closer look at the benefits sanctions system.
The increased living wage will be a direct way to help get more people into work. The plans are also part of a wider effort to reduce inflation and make work pay. Mr Hunt has stated that tax cuts in the autumn are unlikely, but a full budget before the 2024 election may provide an opportunity for a giveaway.
The Government's focus on boosting work and cutting inflation is not the only news coming out of the Tory conference. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan will announce plans to ban mobile phones from classrooms in England, citing concerns about distraction, disruption, and bullying. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss will be calling for tax cuts, fracking, and measures to boost housebuilding, while Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch will be stressing her Brexit credentials and accusing critics of talking down the UK.
Mr Hunt has said that the safety net the government provides comes with a social contract - that work must pay. He believes that 100,000 people are leaving the labour force each year to take up benefits, and that this kind of behaviour should not be rewarded. He has also stated that those who are trying to do the right thing should not be punished.
The Prime Minister has set out his pre-election pledge to voters, and in the conference speech, Mr Hunt will confirm plans to increase the wages of the lowest paid. This increase will benefit two million people, with the Low Pay Commission estimating that the rate should be between £10.90 and £11.43.
Ms Keegan is expected to order schools to outlaw phones during lessons and break times, while Ms Truss will be addressing a rally with a focus on boosting growth. She will suggest that the Conservatives go into the next election with a ‘proudly Conservative’ platform based on producing and building things, rather than taxing and banning.
The announcements today represent a concerted effort from the Conservative Party to reduce inflation, get more people into work, and reward those who are doing the right thing. That is the message Mr Hunt will be sending when he makes his speech later today.
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