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MPs to vote on public sector pay after nurse protests

The public sector pay cap could be removed just a day after RCN nurses took to the streets to demand better pay.
NHS pay cap

MPs will tomorrow vote on lifting the public sector pay cap just a day after nurses took to the streets to demand better pay.


MPs will vote on Wednesday whether or not to lift the public sector pay cap of 1%. Picture: Mike Smith

Protests were staged across England and Scotland, including outside government buildings in London and Edinburgh.

The Labour party will table amendments in the House of Commons tomorrow (Wednesday) to the government's Queen's Speech that was announced last week.

Amendments call

One of these amendments will call for the public sector 1% pay cap to be lifted.

RCN general secretary Janet Davies said: ‘Hours after nursing staff have staged protests in thirty towns across the UK, MPs will have the first opportunity to show they are listening.

‘The protests will have left Theresa May in little doubt over nurses’ fears for the safety of their patients and why this cap on pay must go.

‘It stands in the way of filling the 40,000 vacant nurse posts in England and must be scrapped this summer. When NHS and care services are short of staff, patients pay a heavy price.'

Tabled question

The question is likely to be tabled by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn or shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth after the Prime Minister's Questions at 12noon.

The Conservative party hold a slim majority with support from Northern Irish MPs from the Democratic Unionist Party, but the opposition motion could pass if it gains support from backbench Tories.

Liberal Democrat MPs are likely to vote with the Labour Party, after their manifesto pledge promised to remove the public sector pay cap.

Labour will be hoping for SNP support.


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