Parliament: The House - Minutes of hope for Redwood

JOHN REDWOOD, the Shadow Trade Secretary, accused Peter Mandelson of not having read the minutes of evidence given before the independent Monetary Policy Committee yesterday.

He said the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry was unaware the Bank of England had cited the national minimum wage as a factor which could push up inflation. He launched his attack after Mr Mandelson told him:

"I notice that you wish to continue the policies of your predecessors, which was to support poverty wages. I haven't heard the Bank of England say that the national minimum wage has been wrongly set."

The House will not be sitting today