Chuka Umunna, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, responding to ONS productivity statistics published today said:

“This is yet another illustration of an economy which simply isn’t working for working people.

“Under the Tories, we’ve seen the rise of a low-wage, low-skilled economy and insecure work as productivity has stagnated, with real wages down by an average of £1,600 a year. Britain is now ranked second bottom for productivity among the G7 economies.

“Labour’s  better plan will boost high-skilled, better paid jobs. We will raise the minimum wage and incentivise firms to pay a living wage, ensure every school leaver with the grades can access a high- quality apprenticeship and back small firms by cutting - then freezing - business rates. And we will ban exploitative zero-hours contracts which have become the norm for too many under the Tories.”

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