These new hearts
Carved... In Thatcherite stone
Will not yield
The small cost
Of social care
These new hearts
Frozen...In Thatcherite limbo
Will not yield
The cost of living
Only the cost of war
These new hearts
Beating...In Thatcherite pride
Will not yield
Unto new slaves
Building their inequity
BBC – The
number of UK workers earning below the so-called living wage has risen to 4.8
million, research suggests. The figure, equivalent to 20% of employees, is up
from 3.4 million in 2009, the Resolution Foundation think tank said. The living
wage is set at £7.45 outside London and £8.55 in the capital.
Labour said
too many people were "poorly paid", but ministers said cut taxes on
low incomes were helping many people's standard of living. Although employers are obliged to pay the minimum
wage, there is no legal requirement to pay the living wage.