Numbers are a mathematical method of securing a scientific fact or providing a comparison one thing with another. The way we use statistics which are a set of numbers to extrapolate a position, usually a political one is constantly employed to such an extent that we often disregard the stat as creative nonsense. The use of numbers, this time presented as percentages is another misuse of a perfectly valid comparator but when used in political real time is downright misleading.
This is unheard of a few years back when a leak of budget information was deemed a serious thing and whilst it was no longer indictable with a trip to the Tower for a beheading ( imagine if ISIS come into power they will resurrect the practice ) it is still frowned on if only for disrespect to Parliament.
The Chancellors proposed 23% increase in the "minimum wage" is in fact an increase of 57p an hour.
When a ordinary wage earner such as a postman or a nurse gets an increase of 2.5% this means an extra £58 pm.
When the boss of a large company gets a 2.5% increase it equates to £1666 pm but of course he doesn't get such a puny increase his remuneration committee vote him a 15 to. 20%, increase £10.000 pm to an astonishing £14.000pm equivalent to £150.000 pa. This is an increase of nearly 7 x the annual pay packet of the average worker which again statistically is seriously inflated by the inclusion of senior managerial pay. A more realistic figure given that so many people are on the minimum wage or part time employment would, I estimate be closer to £14000 per annum nearly 11 x the annual pay in what is his "increase".
No one talks in this way, the air waves are littered with astronomically high earners and everyone is too embarrassed to highlight "the great rip off" in pounds shillings and pence !!!
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