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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dem conference: Cable plans pay rise for apprentices | Lib Dem conference: Cable plans pay rise for apprentices |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Business Secretary Vince Cable is to announce plans to give the lowest-paid apprentices a £1.06 an hour pay rise. | Business Secretary Vince Cable is to announce plans to give the lowest-paid apprentices a £1.06 an hour pay rise. |
| The move is backed by the Conservatives and could come into effect next October, if cleared by regulators. | The move is backed by the Conservatives and could come into effect next October, if cleared by regulators. |
| Liberal Democrat Mr Cable will unveil the plan at his party's annual conference in Glasgow later. | Liberal Democrat Mr Cable will unveil the plan at his party's annual conference in Glasgow later. |
| He is also expected to defend the benefits of immigration, saying his party has a responsibility to be the voice of "sanity" on the issue. | He is also expected to defend the benefits of immigration, saying his party has a responsibility to be the voice of "sanity" on the issue. |
| He will also use his speech to activists to launch a fierce attack on the Conservatives over their proposed benefit freeze. | He will also use his speech to activists to launch a fierce attack on the Conservatives over their proposed benefit freeze. |
| 'Extravagant' language | 'Extravagant' language |
| Mr Cable is writing to the Low Pay Commission recommending that the apprentice rate of the minimum wage and the 16/17-year-old rate are combined. | Mr Cable is writing to the Low Pay Commission recommending that the apprentice rate of the minimum wage and the 16/17-year-old rate are combined. |
| Most apprentices already earn more than the minimum wage but about 31,000 people are expected to benefit from the move, with their hourly rate going up from £2.73 to £3.79. | Most apprentices already earn more than the minimum wage but about 31,000 people are expected to benefit from the move, with their hourly rate going up from £2.73 to £3.79. |
| In other developments: | In other developments: |
| Sunday - the first day of the Lib Dem conference - was dominated by attacks on the Conservatives, with former leader Sir Menzies Campbell even stepping in to urge his colleagues to rein in their "extravagant" language. | Sunday - the first day of the Lib Dem conference - was dominated by attacks on the Conservatives, with former leader Sir Menzies Campbell even stepping in to urge his colleagues to rein in their "extravagant" language. |
| What has upset senior party figures the most are Conservative plans - announced last week - to freeze working-age benefits and raise the threshold of the 40p income tax rate. | What has upset senior party figures the most are Conservative plans - announced last week - to freeze working-age benefits and raise the threshold of the 40p income tax rate. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| Iain Watson, BBC political correspondent | Iain Watson, BBC political correspondent |
| The Lib Dems are keen to talk about what one insider called "differentiation max" - that is, pointing out where their policies and approach diverge from their coalition partners. | The Lib Dems are keen to talk about what one insider called "differentiation max" - that is, pointing out where their policies and approach diverge from their coalition partners. |
| So Vince Cable will hold out the prospect of stronger employment rights if the Lib Dems remain in government. | So Vince Cable will hold out the prospect of stronger employment rights if the Lib Dems remain in government. |
| Nick Clegg will say his party wouldn't shirk the responsibility of encouraging more house building in south-east England. | Nick Clegg will say his party wouldn't shirk the responsibility of encouraging more house building in south-east England. |
| But they are more tight-lipped when it comes to what red lines they would have in any future negotiations. | But they are more tight-lipped when it comes to what red lines they would have in any future negotiations. |
| While they are denouncing Conservative plans for a referendum on EU membership, senior Lib Dems are making it quite clear privately that this wouldn't be a new barrier to forming a coalition. | While they are denouncing Conservative plans for a referendum on EU membership, senior Lib Dems are making it quite clear privately that this wouldn't be a new barrier to forming a coalition. |
| And Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told a fringe meeting red lines were a "fruitless" way of doing politics. | And Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told a fringe meeting red lines were a "fruitless" way of doing politics. |
| He and his colleagues have acquired a taste for government and will do what they can to avoid more lean years of opposition. | He and his colleagues have acquired a taste for government and will do what they can to avoid more lean years of opposition. |
| Mr Cable told an event on Sunday it was "completely unnecessary that low income people will be punished, that the working poor should be punished, to give tax relief to people at the top end of the income scale". | Mr Cable told an event on Sunday it was "completely unnecessary that low income people will be punished, that the working poor should be punished, to give tax relief to people at the top end of the income scale". |
| And he warned his coalition partners they were in for a more "colourful" attack in his conference speech. | And he warned his coalition partners they were in for a more "colourful" attack in his conference speech. |
| He is expected to talk about immigration and how his party must stand up to "the purveyors of panic, prejudice and pessimism". | He is expected to talk about immigration and how his party must stand up to "the purveyors of panic, prejudice and pessimism". |
| BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said Mr Cable's comments were the latest move by a senior Lib Dem to distance themselves from their coalition partners. | BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith said Mr Cable's comments were the latest move by a senior Lib Dem to distance themselves from their coalition partners. |
| Lib Dem president Tim Farron has, meanwhile, accused the Conservatives of being "borderline immoral" for trying to "balance the books on the back of the poor". | Lib Dem president Tim Farron has, meanwhile, accused the Conservatives of being "borderline immoral" for trying to "balance the books on the back of the poor". |
| Pensions Minister Steve Webb drew pantomime boos from activists after a jibe about Chancellor George Osborne's benefit policy. | Pensions Minister Steve Webb drew pantomime boos from activists after a jibe about Chancellor George Osborne's benefit policy. |
| Explaining his party's policy later, Mr Webb said he could guarantee above-inflation increases. | Explaining his party's policy later, Mr Webb said he could guarantee above-inflation increases. |
| "I think that's very unlikely but what we've said is that we've tried to protect the most vulnerable at every turn, that will remain our priority." | "I think that's very unlikely but what we've said is that we've tried to protect the most vulnerable at every turn, that will remain our priority." |