Freedom from Poverty, Opportunity for All

10.24.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 3rd Aug 2007

Last week the Liberal Democrats launched "Freedom from Poverty, Opportunity for All" the new policy paper on tackling poverty. The Paper will be debated at the Federal Conference at Brighton.

Tucked away on page 25 is an attempt to water down our policy relating to the Minimum Wage. Currently we believe that the Minimum Wage should be the same for everyone from the age of 16 - as we believe that if someone has left school and is treating as an adult in terms of taxation that they should be treated as an adult in terms of their wages. The policy paper gives two options - either retaining our policy (option B) or by adopting the 16-17 rate and Youth Development Rate (option A).

This will be voted on at Conference, and there is a vote between the two options. I am still concerned at the attempt to water down the policy and will certainly be voting for option B.