National Minimum Wage (Workplace Internships) Bill

Stephen Pound Excerpts

Friday 4th November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Philip Davies]

I will come on to that a bit later, because I have what I would like to think is a better solution.

It is a socialist outlook on life that says, “I would rather nobody had an opportunity than only some people had an opportunity”; it is certainly not one that any self-respecting Conservative could have.

Alex Shelbrooke rose—

[Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab)]

There is a self-respecting Conservative.

[Alec Shelbrooke]

Quite right—I agree with the hon. Gentleman on the Opposition Front Bench, who speaks from a sedentary position.

I gently say to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley that he quite rightly points out that my interest is social mobility, but rather than trying to bring it down to a common denominator I am trying to bring it up to a common denominator, so that people can access opportunities for social mobility. I understand his concerns, but there is a large difference between trying to push everybody down and being under the control of one socialist fist, and trying to make sure that everybody can go as high as they possibly can.