A UKIP supporter in West Somerset has tried to trick Labour’s parliamentary candidates over policy on low wages. Shopkeeper Helen Caddick wrote to Mick Lerry pretending to support a big increase in the minimum wage. But then she revealed herself as a UKIP supporter who wants to keep wages low.
In her first email, Caddick said: “The current minimum wage in the UK is not enough to live on, even if people are working full time. Please support the demand for a £10 an hour minimum wage. This is supported by TUSC – the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. Will you support it too?
“Many workers are forced to get benefits to top up their pay in order to survive, and more people than ever are having to go to food banks to avoid starvation. Effectively, taxpayers are subsidising businesses, who go on to make huge profits for their shareholders, whilst their employees suffer in poverty. As my parliamentary candidate — please tell me — do you support calls for a £10 an hour minimum wage?”
Mick supports living wage
Mick replied:“As you will be aware Labour will introduce the £8.00 minimum wage by 2019 and are promoting the living wage by giving incentives to employers. I would campaign to merge the living and minimum wage by 2020, which should be £10.00 or above.
“Only a Labour government will make sure that the minimum wage is increased to £8.00. A Tory government will not be concerned about increasing the minimum wage or getting rid of exploitative zero hours contracts, which give insecure employment for working people.”
UKIP reveal deception
Caddick then revealed the deception behind her enquiry, with the reply:“And where do u think small businesses will find 10 quid an hour from ??? Soooooo glad I voted UKIP !”
Mick said: “A Labour government will work with responsible employers to help them to pay their workers a living wage. This crude deception has shown that UKIP want to try to score cheap political points but do not care about working people struggling to survive on low pay.”
A typical farrago supporter – brain dead and selfish !