Employment Opportunities Bill

Denis MacShane Excerpts

Friday 17th June 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Chope]

My hon. Friend makes a brilliant point, and I hope very much that he will be willing to serve on the Committee when that occasion arises. I am sorry that he will not be able to participate fully in the debate, but I understand that he is seeing constituents. His long-standing interest in common sense applies particularly to work opportunities for young people and is well known and respected across the House.

Members of the House are so conditioned to the advances of state socialism by stealth that the Bill may come as a bit of a shock.

[Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab)]

Perhaps later on the hon. Gentleman could give us an example of socialism in Britain. Some Opposition Members might be interested to find out more about this new invention. Should not the Bill properly be called the increase in working poverty Bill, because the assault on the minimum wage—that thin line that protects the poorest workers from employer exploitation—which is the thrust of the Bill, is the meanest most miserable act from a mean and miserable party that hates the working people of this country?