Very good analysis. I agree with practically all of it - but aren't you in danger of having the whip withdrawn from the comrades for saying it?

Raising minimum wage, would arguably help, given that one of the primary factors in low skill manual labour is that the wages have stagnated due to demand being supplied from poorer nations (where the exchange rate makes working for 16-20k a year with no dependents viable in a way that it isn't for UK residents with families or dependents).

But the upshot of raising the minimum wage is that it would likely attract higher qualified migrant workers from those same countries, into the same jobs - Which is even worse for those countries (who are already losing degree graduates to the UK to do fairly average jobs).

The only beneficiaries from the Freedom of Movement have been corporations. They've garnered a great profit from the fact wages have been suppressed by cheap sources of labour, whilst successive governments (including Labour) have actually cut corporation taxes and allowed many such companies to shelter from tax contributions.

So basically, Corporate interests benefitted from cheap labour, tax cuts and tax exemptions, at the expense of British citizens. Meanwhile, countries supplying that labour, have been effectively robbed of skilled labour and the 'cream of the generation'.

Unsurprisingly, many of those countries have also seen increasing unrest and problems created, in effect, by the exploitation of Freedom of Movement that's removed 'their best and brightest'.

This is a good day for the 16 million people who have little or no representation in Parliament.

If he can soften the hard brexit it can be good for the country.

A fair assessment.
However, ultimately, we will all still pay for an increased minimum wage through a mark up on the cost of goods and services.
I have to honestly say that my primary concern is how a continuing flow of foreign labour will effect my children's future.

Edited by Hrolf The Ganger (16 Feb 2017 5.41pm)