George Osborne's Budget is to be debated by MPs after his announcement of a "national living wage" sparked a political row.
One Labour leadership contender, Liz Kendall, said the measure was a "con", while another, Yvette Cooper, said it "falls short" of being a living wage. Paid to over-25s, it will start at £7.20 and rise to £9 an hour by 2020. Making the surprise pledge, Mr Osborne said: "Britain deserves a pay rise and Britain is getting a pay rise." BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the living wage pledge, as well as announcements on apprenticeships and the taxation of so-called non-doms, represented "a ruthless raid on Labour's manifesto".....Read more here