That means a doubling of the tax burden and a wage cut for millions of especially young workers. The rise in income tax will affect the living standards of many young workers who will suddenly find themselves out of pocket. The minimum wage at its full rate or 'development rate' is already a poverty wage without the government stealing more of it off us. In work places that pay above the minimum wage or where gains have been made the tax increase will be come as a bitter blow. In my call centre the union has won a 3% pay increase from management but because of the increase in tax we are worse off now than before the pay increase.

We say that instead of increasing taxes on the lowest paid the government should reverse the 5% cuts in corporation tax it has made over the last decade and close the taper tax loop holes which allows the super rich to claim £4.5 billion in tax relief each year.