At a time when the NHS is struggling with flu and a Covid comeback, the Government should be doing everything it can to broker a deal on nurses’ pay.
Union leaders have repeatedly called for ministers to come to the negotiating table.
Opposition parties are urging the government to talk. Even Conservative MPs have recognised that the below-inflation pay rise offered to nurses is inadequate.
The only person who is unwilling to enter the room is Rishi Sunak.
Instead of seeking conciliation, the Prime Minister yesterday inflamed tensions by claiming nurses had been offered more than many private sector workers.
This is contradicted by figures from the Office for National Statistics, which show average public sector pay grew by 2.7% between August and October this year.
It was 6.9% in the private sector.
Mr Sunak also sought to claim nurses’ pay was a matter for the Independent Pay Review Body – when he knows full well the amount it can offer is restricted by the Government.
The Prime Minister needs to stop the posturing and start negotiating.
Royal blues
NOBODY enjoys seeing a family tear itself apart. It is an even more unpleasant spectacle when it is done so publicly.
Those involved in the royal ruckus may have sincere reasons to feel aggrieved but they do themselves no favours by washing their dirty linen in public, in a television documentary.
Buckingham Palace yesterday tried to draw a line under the row, signalling they would abide by the late Queen’s rule of putting duty before anything. This should have been how all sides behaved from the start.
Grand finals
ALL good things must come to end. This weekend the winners of World Cup and Strictly Coming Dancing will be decided.
Whoever you are backing, let’s hope they are worthy cha-cha-champions.
