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Anna Turley, Labour candidate for Redcar constituency, has welcomed Labour’s plan to raise the National Minimum Wage to £8 an hour by the end of next Parliament.

This would mean a rise of £1.50 an hour for Teesside’s lowest paid workers worth £60 a week or £3,000 a year.

Commenting on the pledge Anna said "Increasing the National Minimum wage to £8 per hour will ensure that those doing a hard day’s work are rewarded fairly for doing so. It will bring the minimum wage closer to average earnings and will affect thousands of workers across the Redcar constituency.

"Day in, day out I hear from people who are working all the hours they can get, in some cases in more than one job and often with zero hours contracts, who just can't make ends meet. People who are working hard and trying to do the right thing often ask me ‘why they should bother?’

"I am delighted to hear this announcement. It shows Labour’s is on the side of those who are working hard and that a Labour Government won’t just accept a low wage economy; we will raise the national minimum wage and fight for a living wage for all."

Zetland FM contacted the office of Ian Swales, Liberal Democrat MP for Redcar. A Lib Dem spokesperson said: "This is a weak announcement from Labour. The Low Pay Commission has already confirmed that the minimum wage was likely to reach this amount by 2020 anyway.

"As part of the Coalition, the Liberal Democrats have fought hard to secure a £3,525 increase in the personal income tax allowance which, under Labour was only £6,475. As of April 2015 you will be able to earn £10,000 before you pay any tax at all. We have also supported the Living Wage campaign which is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK.

"Taking the strain off the lowest earners has always been a priority for the Liberal Democrats and this is evident throughout our manifesto and in Coalition policies such as free school meals for infants, a reduction in fuel duty equalling a £7 saving per tank, up to £1200 saving on childcare costs, an £800 income tax cut and tackling household costs such as rising fuel bills.

"It seems that Labour are trying to undermine this hard work in an attempt to grab headlines before the General Election next year. Let’s not forget that Labour got us into the mess that we are still climbing our way out of. They should not be trusted with our money again."