MP's bid to remove minimum wage restrictions defeated in Commons

Controversial plans to water down National Minimum Wage legislation have been defeated in the Commons.

Former Conservative minister Christopher Chope tabled proposals which would have allowed adult employees to receive wages below the 5.93 hourly rate.

He said current laws prevented British workers selling their labour "at a price of their own choosing".

But former Labour minister Denis MacShane accused Christchurch MP Mr Chope of launching an "assault" on the protection offered to workers.

Opening a second reading debate on his Employment Opportunities Bill, Mr Chope said: "Under current law, we restrict British citizens from selling their own labour at a price of their own choosing.

"We discriminate against those who are young or inexperienced or seeking on-the-job training. We prevent people from agreeing to cut their wages to protect their jobs and we impose nationally uniform rules on the job market, ignoring regional and local variations."

He added: "If we are going to provide good quality jobs, we've got to be able to have the freedom to allow people to compete, and we've got to allow people the freedom to work and reach an arrangement with their employer if they want to."

But Mr MacShane told him: "The assault on the minimum wage, that thin line that protects the poorest workers in this country from employer exploitation, that is contained in the thrust of this Bill is the meanest, most miserable act, from a mean and miserable party that hates the working people of this country."

Labour's Tony Lloyd claimed Mr Chope's Bill revealed "just what a rotten, nasty party the Conservatives are".

He said: "In our society there are people who have genuine social difficulties. They need our protection, they don't need us to take away those minimum floors."

Shadow business minister Gareth Thomas said Mr Chope's Bill would "drive a coach and horses through the National Minimum Wage legislation".

He said low-paid workers would risk exploitation by "unscrupulous" employers wanting to undercut other businesses which paid the minimum wage.

He described the minimum wage as "hugely successful" and denied it caused unemployment.

Mr Thomas added: "There is no significant evidence to suggest either the minimum wage has led to job cuts or that economic recovery is being held back by the continued existence of the national minimum wage."

Mr Chope's Bill was defeated by 33 votes to five.