Labour's deputy leader criticises Government's proposed one per cent pay rise
Labour's deputy leader has branded a proposed one per cent pay rise for NHS workers a "smack in the face" to staff in the Midlands.
Angela Rayner said the Government move would result in a "real-terms" pay cut and would be a "kick in the teeth" for frontline staff.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted the planned increase would be a pay rise for NHS staff despite concerns over inflation.
Ms Rayner, who spoke with staff from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust virtually, said her party would offer a "real-terms" increase.
But she refused to say what Labour would offer and instead insisted the party would work with trade unions to come up with a figure.
She told the Express & Star: "First of all, I've met with NHS staff in Wolverhampton and I have to say it's an absolute insult what the Government are offering them.
"Nobody wanted to talk about pay [on the call with staff] because they wanted to talk about the support and the hard work they've carried out.
Negotiations
"The Government promised – and legislated – for a 2.1 per cent rise, a very small increase, and now they've taken that away and before negotiations they're already offering a real-terms pay cut.
"Many of them have left their homes and went to stay in hotels so they could care for patients. They are absolute heroes.
"The Government, and Boris Johnson, can give a 40 per cent pay increase to Dominic Cummings and give billions in contracts to people who have no experience, but for our NHS staff who have worked their socks off for us they can't – they've taken that money away."
The Labour MP, and chairwoman of the party, said the party would enter into negotiations with trade unions to work out the sum which would be a "real-terms" pay increase – but didn't state how much they would be given by the party.
It comes after the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) trade union put forward a 12.5 per cent rise for NHS workers as part of its Fair Pay for Nursing campaign.
Ms Rayner said: "We would go into negotiations and say they would get a real-terms pay increase. We would go into the negotiations and not put a ceiling [on the amount] and put in place a multi-year pay agreement as well.
"The RCN have come up with a figure, other trade unions have come up with a figure, and we would enter into those negotiations with them [to discuss it].
'Smack in the face'
"We've [the country] had to spend a significant amount of money already, but I can't see how we can't afford something which has been legislated for. The Government have wasted money and they want the NHS to pay for their mistakes and that's what I'm really cross about.
"Boris Johnson has found £2.6 million to do a snazzy media room and he has paid for that – and £37 billion [will be] paid out on Test and Trace that actually has not been as effective as our primary care services and local systems have been Wolverhampton and elsewhere. It's just a smack in the face for the workers."
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has insisted the Government's proposed one per cent salary increase for NHS staff is a "pay rise" and not a real-terms cut – despite forecast inflation of 1.5 per cent.
It means prices will rise by more than NHS pay, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The news comes after a pay freeze for public sector workers across England – excluding NHS workers – was backed last year by the Government.
