Anthea McIntyre, Conservative employment spokesman in the European Parliament, and a resident of Walford, Ross-on-Wye, welcomed news that the National Living Wage (NLW) will rise to £8.72 an hour from April 1st.

It is the biggest cash increase ever, boosting the NLW from the current value of £8.21.

She noted that in her constituency, the West Midlands, 272,000 people will benefit from the pay rise - 11.8 per cent of all workers across the region.

Nearly three million people across the country will benefit from a pay rise of 6.2 per cent in April – an increase of £930 over the year for a full-time worker.

Miss McIntyre said: “This is exactly the kind of news people in the West Midlands and across Britain want to hear. I’m very proud to be part of a Conservative party that is delivering the higher-wage, lower-tax economy we all want to see.

“We’re backing hard work and aspiration – creating opportunity for hardworking people across the country. We are building a better Britain for everyone in this country, regardless of how they voted."