During a press conference to announce his appointment to the role of Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Revd Justin Welby has spoken warmly of his support for the Living Wage.

His appointment was confirmed on Friday morning, in the middle of the inaugural Living Wage week. Earlier in the week both Labour Leader Ed Miliband and Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson had show their support for the campaign.

The Living Wage campaign began over a decade ago when churches and other civil society organisations came together under the banner of Citizens UK to campaign for better wages for working people.

The new Archbishop commended the campaign and especially the role that churches have played in winning more than £100 million for the lowest-paid families.

After pointing out that his current Diocese of Durham pays staff the Living Wage, he said, “[It’s] an area in which the church has really made a useful social contribution, a really useful one… it’s something we should be shouting about.”

Hear his thoughts on the Living Wage in full by clicking play here:

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