Labour to force a Commons vote on scrapping 1% pay cap

LABOUR is to force a Commons vote on scrapping the 1% public sector pay cap.

Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth called on Tory MPs to join his party in backing moves to end the “unfair” cap, with a motion to be debated on Wednesday.

Any vote on Labour’s motion will be non-binding on the Government.

But the Opposition is seeking to capitalise on Conservative support for public sector workers to receive a pay increase and Theresa May’s lack of majority to pressure her to take action sooner than previously hinted.

The parliamentary bid follows a former top Treasury official labelling the cap unsustainable in the long-term.

Lord Macpherson of Earl’s Court, who spent a decade as permanent secretary to the Treasury until 2016, said a failure to properly cost any lifting of the 1% cap would leave the deficit unacceptably high.

He added Prime Minister Mrs May and Chancellor Philip Hammond would have to decide either to cut spending or hike taxes to pay for it.

Mr Ashworth told Sky News’ Sunday with Niall Paterson: “What the Government needs to do is understand the concerns of the people who work in our National Health Service and wider public services and get rid of this pay cap.

“We keep getting briefings in newspapers and suggestions that the Government is sympathetic and wants to do something, and ‘Oh, it’s terrible and we accept that but let’s see where we get to’.”