Ever since I covered the end of the Bush-Gore presidential election in 2000, I have been wary of drawing lessons from US elections about UK politics: America is much less like Britain than too many British journalists tend to assume. But there’s one bit of the US voting last week that intrigues me in the context of British politics and policy, and which might just be a signpost to one of the big issues here in the next couple of years: the politics of the minimum wage.
Florida last week voted for Trump: he got 51 per cent. It also voted, 60:40, for a proposal to increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 (£11.35) an hour. By some accounts, some of the strongest supporters for the wage increase were Hispanic voters around the Miami conurbation whose support secured the state for Trump.
During the state’s election campaigning, Florida Republicans had argued strongly against the wage increase, agreeing with business groups that it could cost jobs.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in