Williamson: increase Army pay
GAVIN WILLIAMSON has opened a new row with Theresa May and Philip Hammond by accusing the Prime Minister and Chancellor of ignoring an official recommendation on increasing the pay of members of the Armed Forces.
In a letter to 10 Downing Street, the Defence Secretary warned that Mrs May and Mr Hammond had taken the “wrong decision” by failing to honour in full a recommended 2.9per cent pay rise for military personnel, of which
Mr Williamson had been “strongly in favour”.
The Sunday Telegraph understands that Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, has expressed similar concerns about the 2per cent pay rise announced for police officers last week, having lobbied for a total increase of three per cent, in line with recommendations which have been made by the police pay review body.
Instead of the full recommended rise for military personnel, Mrs May and Mr Hammond approved a 2per cent
increase – worth £680 to an average soldier – and a 0.9per cent one-off “bonus”, meaning that almost a third of the increase will drop off after next year and also not increase the pension contributions of personnel.
In doing so, Mr Williamson suggested, they ignored the recommendation by the Government’s independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body for a 2.9per cent increase to “base pay”. His intervention will stoke tensions amid a fierce battle over the defence budget.
The letter, sent by a senior Ministry of Defence official to No10 last week and seen by The Sunday Telegraph, said: “As you will be aware, the Armed Forces Pay Review Body recommended a uniform 2.9per cent consolidated pay award to military personnel in full.
“The Defence Secretary was, for the reasons set out in his letters of June 18, June 26 and July 19, strongly in favour of this.
“However, the Prime Minister and Chancellor have decided that the Armed Forces should receive a 2.0per cent consolidated pay rise and a 0.9per cent non-consolidated payment. The Defence Secretary continues to be of the view that this is the wrong decision. The Ministry of Defence will now undertake the requisite actions to formalise this decision and ensure that our hard-working Armed Forces receive their pay award as soon as possible.”
A senior government source said the announcements were agreed by Mr Williamson and Mr Javid.
A defence source said: “Because the Armed Forces do not have a trade union, the Secretary of State felt he was duty bound to push as hard as he could on their behalf.
The Treasury originally wanted to give them just 1.5per cent.
“He fought their corner hard then managed to get them a better deal than was originally offered. He was content to settle with that.”