London - Britain's minimum wage will rise by 3% to £6.70 per hour, the biggest real-terms increase since 2008, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Tuesday, presenting the rise as a measure of economic strength before a May 7 election.
The change will take effect from October 2015 and comes a day before the government makes an appeal for voters' support with its last budget announcement ahead of an election in which voters' living standards and economic competence are expected to be key issues.
Conservative party leader Cameron announced the changes, recommended by a government body last month, in a joint statement with Nick Clegg, leader of the junior coalition partner the Liberal Democrats.