Pay review bodies could recommend up to 4% pay rises for teachers and nurses

Keir Starmer has said he does not want to see public sector workers go on strike over pay.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit this morning, he was asked about reports saying that workers like teachers or nurses could go on strike if the government insists on funding pay rises through cuts elsewhere in departmental budgets. (See 10.04am.)

I don’t want to see strike action, I don’t think anybody wants to see strike action.

And certainly here we are in a healthcare environment with all the staff working really hard. The last thing they want to do is to go into dispute again.

The Treasury’s economic evidence published in December said that the budget set the spending envelope across the parliament and departmental settlements for 25-26 and beyond will need to fund the next round of public sector pay awards.

And there’ll be no additional funding for pay if recommended awards exceed what departments can afford.