INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE

For too long, people at work across our country and in our community have been trapped in a low wage economy which has made the cost-of-living crisis worse.

Labour came to power last month with a pledge to increase the incomes of working people. This week, we started that work.

In 1997, when Labour created the minimum wage, we also created the Low Pay Commission to advise Government on the rate that the wage should be set at.

The Government sets the remit of the Low Pay Commission and then acts on their recommendations.

Over the past 14 years, wages have become more and more detached from the cost of living and the different living wage rates for under 25s has meant that young people at work have faced unfair lower pay.

The Labour Government is going to change both these things.

This week, we changed the Low Pay Commission’s remit and asked them to do two things.

The first is to make sure that the cost of living is accounted for when minimum wage rates are set. Without this action, people’s wages will be too easily eaten away by inflation.

The second change we have made is to ask them to start to narrow the gap between the under 25 rates and the over 25 rates in order to create a single adult rate.

It’s not right that young people are often being asked to do the exact same job as an older worker but aren’t being paid equally.

After the summer recess, we’ll be starting the work on our Employment Rights Bill to increase protections for people at work.

Taken together with our action on minimum wage rates, this will be one of the biggest advances in rights and pay for working people in a generation.

A NEW ROLE IN GOVERNMENT

As well as being the MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, the Prime Minister asked me a couple of weeks ago to take on a role within the UK Government.

I’m really pleased to have been asked to join the Whips Office in the House of Commons.

This is a ministerial role responsible for making sure that the Government’s plans get through the House of Commons and that the promises we made to people during the election are delivered.

While joining the Government means I’ve got fewer opportunities to speak in Parliament, it gives me more of an opportunity to raise issues at the heart of Government directly with Ministers and members of the Cabinet.

I’m not the first MP for our area that has served as a Government minister. In the 1960s and 1970s Dickson Mabon was a Scotland Office and Energy Minister, and from 2005-2008, David Cairns served as Minister of State for Scotland.

Both delivered in their roles, but always put people in our area first. Like them, that’s how I plan to do this job.

SUMMER RECESS

During August, Parliament won’t be sitting in London, which means being able to spend more time working across the constituency (and having a few days holiday with my partner to plan our wedding).

My main priority during August is going to be completing recruitment of my new team and finding a constituency office.

Behind every MP is a team of people who help to provide support and advice to constituents. They’re invaluable.

During the election, I promised I’d have an accessible and fully staffed office where people could come for help, and we want to open that as soon as possible.

I’ll also be using part of August to visit many local businesses and organisations, run surgeries in our towns and villages and hear first-hand the issues people are facing and what they want to see from the new UK Government.

If you’d like me to visit your organisation, please just get in touch on martin.mccluskey.mp@parliament.uk.

YOUR EVENTS

Last week, I asked people to let me know if there are any local events they wanted me to include in this column.

Greenock Medical Aid Society got in touch to ask me to mention their Annual Charity Fundraising Ball at Greenock Town Hall on September 28. This year, they’re trying to raise money for a wheelchair-accessible minibus. You can buy tickets online at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/greenockmedicalaidsociety.