Arguments against the minimum wage are not levelled by sadistic and wealthy individuals who don’t want to see the lowest earners receive more money. In my case, I make them because I respect elasticities. A person has a job because they provide more value to the employer than they cost. The choice we’re making isn’t between giving somebody £8 an hour or £12 but between giving somebody £8 an hour or making them unemployed. Economic laymen feel good as they unconsciously state they just want to see somebody well paid or not paid at all. They don’t recognise the policy proposal’s implication, but it is.