Today, Labour asked an urgent question to the government on public sector pay.
At the moment- and for the last 7 years- the Conservative’s public sector pay cap means that wages for public sector workers like nurses, teachers and police officers have not been able to rise by more than 1% per year.
Inflation- which measures the way the cost of living goes up from one year to the next- has often been more than 1%. This means that public sector workers have, in effect, seen their pay been cut in the last few years. Research by the Office of Manpower Economics shows that since the pay cap was introduced, the average teacher has lost £3 an hour in pay while the average police officer has lost £2 every hour. This is obviously a significant chunk of the overall salary of Public Sector Workers.
Given the talk on the news recently about the disagreements in the Cabinet over the pay cap I was hopeful that the government may make some concessions. I was bitterly disappointed.
Not only did Liz Truss, the Conservative Chief Secretary, to the Treasury tell us that the government would not move an inch on its policy, she attacked Labour for asking the question.
This is proof, if ever it were needed, that the Conservatives do not act in the interest of working people. But I do. I will continue to work hard for the people of Hull West and Hessle and have written to Liz Truss to reiterate my party’s calls to end the public sector pay cap. I look forward to her attacking Labour again in her response. Because, as the saying goes, if they are attacking you then you must be doing something right.
