---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a Conservative government that in…"
description: "\"It was a Conservative government that in 2016 introduced the national living wage, giving Britain's lowest-paid workers the biggest pay rise in 20 year..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg"
---

#  It was a Conservative government that in 2016 introduced…

![“It was a Conservative government that in 2016 introduced the national living wage, giving Britain's lowest-paid workers the biggest pay rise in 20 years.” quote by Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg)

> “It was a Conservative government that in 2016 introduced the national living wage, giving Britain's lowest-paid workers the biggest pay rise in 20 years.”

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The Conservative government introduced a national living wage in 2016, giving low‑paid workers their biggest raise in two decades.

**In simple terms:** A major pay rise was given to the lowest earners.

Key Takeaway

Support policies that lift the lowest wages.

Themes

economics politics social justice

Mood

analytical optimistic

Type

political economic

When to use this quote

- government policy
- labor negotiations
- public debate
- media analysis

Key Concepts

living wage income inequality

Questions to Reflect On

- What impact did the wage increase have on poverty?
- How can future policies build on this change?

A Different Perspective

Implementation may vary across regions and sectors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-wage/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Wage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wage/)

## Related quotes

> [“The research shows one of the biggest pay gaps is between male and female health professionals. It’s been calculated at 27 per cent, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-lloyd-roberts/the-research-shows-one-of-the-biggest-pay-gaps-is-between-male-and/)

Sue Lloyd Roberts

> [Thinks you should get a pay rise in your job being A COMPLETE TWAT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/thinks-you-should-get-a-pay-rise-in-your-job-being-a-complete-twat/)

[Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/)

> [I believe increasing minimum wage it's not just the minimum wage, it's a living wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-lundergan-grimes/i-believe-increasing-minimum-wage-it-s-not-just-the-minimum-wage-it-s/)

[Alison Lundergan Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-lundergan-grimes/)

> [I do feel like food should cost more, because we aren't paying farmers a living wage. It has to cost more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-waters/i-do-feel-like-food-should-cost-more-because-we-aren-t-paying-farmers/)

[Alice Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-waters/)

> [To the second end, we hold that minimum wage commissions should be established in the Nation and in each State to inquire into wages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/to-the-second-end-we-hold-that-minimum-wage-commissions-should-be/)

[Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/)

> [Any way you slice it, increasing the minimum wage in Michigan... is likely to make it more difficult for the working poor to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kersey/any-way-you-slice-it-increasing-the-minimum-wage-in-michigan-is/)

Paul Kersey

> [I have campaigned for a higher minimum wage, and more employers should be paying a proper living wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-reeves/i-have-campaigned-for-a-higher-minimum-wage-and-more-employers-should/)

[Rachel Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-reeves/)

> [If a man or a woman puts in an honest day's work, they should to be able to earn a living wage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-man-or-a-woman-puts-in-an-honest-day-s-work-they-should-to-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [People will say 'how can you have a plane when your workers are on minimum wage?' I said 'but I don't set the minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-ashley/people-will-say-how-can-you-have-a-plane-when-your-workers-are-on/)

[Mike Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-ashley/)

> [I'd love to have our trains, our subway cars and our taxis built right here in New York City. You can create 40,000 living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sal-albanese/i-d-love-to-have-our-trains-our-subway-cars-and-our-taxis-built-right/)

[Sal Albanese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sal-albanese/)

> [Paying people a fair wage is a sign of respect and acknowledgement of the value of people's contributions to the business. When people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-b-lyman/paying-people-a-fair-wage-is-a-sign-of-respect-and-acknowledgement-of/)

Amy B. Lyman

> [The struggle to have a living wage doesn't come easy. You're ready to work, you want it, you seek it... but it's not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/the-struggle-to-have-a-living-wage-doesn-t-come-easy-you-re-ready-to/)

[Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/)

> [Yet it ought to be clear that a minimum wage law is, at best, a limited weapon for combatting the evil of low wages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/yet-it-ought-to-be-clear-that-a-minimum-wage-law-is-at-best-a-limited/)

[Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/)

> [If you paid Americans a living wage, they would be able to pay for products made by Americans in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-you-paid-americans-a-living-wage-they-would-be-able-to-pay-for/)

[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [You can't receive a living wage unless you work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-winne/you-can-t-receive-a-living-wage-unless-you-work/)

[Mark Winne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-winne/)

## More by Rishi Sunak

> [India is a major power, with a youthful and hardworking population, and has an incredibly bright future. I hope the U.K. can be part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/india-is-a-major-power-with-a-youthful-and-hardworking-population-and/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [We are committed to levelling up across every region and nation in the U.K. and that is why we are making the largest ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/we-are-committed-to-levelling-up-across-every-region-and-nation-in/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [I'm a first generation immigrant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/i-m-a-first-generation-immigrant/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [Having a lower tax, simpler, fairer, flatter tax system is something that can drive growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/having-a-lower-tax-simpler-fairer-flatter-tax-system-is-something/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [In spite of what are unprecedented measures in scale and scope, I can't stand here and say I can save every single job, protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/in-spite-of-what-are-unprecedented-measures-in-scale-and-scope-i-can/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [Upon leaving the E.U., Britain will find itself with more opportunities for economic innovation than at any time in almost 50 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/upon-leaving-the-e-u-britain-will-find-itself-with-more-opportunities/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [There can be no lasting prosperity for our people, if we do not protect our planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/there-can-be-no-lasting-prosperity-for-our-people-if-we-do-not/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [I feel the Conservatives are doing really well both in attracting votes from British Indians and also having successful British Indians in the party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/i-feel-the-conservatives-are-doing-really-well-both-in-attracting/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [We rise to challenges, we will meet them, we're well prepared for them, we'll get through them and we'll emerge on the other side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/we-rise-to-challenges-we-will-meet-them-we-re-well-prepared-for-them/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [There is a clear political desire to rebalance the British economy away from London towards the regions, and away from the services sector towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/there-is-a-clear-political-desire-to-rebalance-the-british-economy/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [More generally, I strongly believe in the importance of fiscal responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/more-generally-i-strongly-believe-in-the-importance-of-fiscal/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [We are a country of Newton, Hodgson, and Turing. Ours is a country of ideas, invention and discovery and is truly a national history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/we-are-a-country-of-newton-hodgson-and-turing-ours-is-a-country-of/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [From education to employment, housing to trust in the police, politicians from all parties must understand the different issues affecting individual communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/from-education-to-employment-housing-to-trust-in-the-police/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [In terms of cultural upbringing, I'd be at the temple at the weekend - I'm a Hindu - but I'd also be at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/in-terms-of-cultural-upbringing-i-d-be-at-the-temple-at-the-weekend-i/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

> [From working in my mum's tiny chemist shop to my experience building large businesses, I have seen how we should support free enterprise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/from-working-in-my-mum-s-tiny-chemist-shop-to-my-experience-building/)

[Rishi Sunak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

[Explore all 20 Rishi Sunak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/)

## More Giving quotes

> [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/)

[Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/)

> [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/)

[Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/)

> [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/)

[Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/)

[Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/)

Riffat Hassan

> [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/)

[Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/)

> [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/)

[Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/)

> [I don't think my relationship with the idea of womanhood is that attached to giving birth... like, I'm fully aware that I'll never give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/i-don-t-think-my-relationship-with-the-idea-of-womanhood-is-that/)

[Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/)

[Browse all 39,303 Giving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It was a Conservative government that in 2016 introduced the national living wage, giving Britain's lowest-paid workers the biggest pay rise in 20 years.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rishi Sunak"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in-2016-introduced-the-national/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Giving"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in-2016-introduced-the-national/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0cb/rishi-sunak-27402_giving_it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in_837640.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It was a Conservative government that in 2016 introduced the national living wage, giving Britain's…” — Rishi Sunak",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rishi Sunak",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-sunak/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It was a Conservative government that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in-2016-introduced-the-national/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-sunak/it-was-a-conservative-government-that-in-2016-introduced-the-national/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
