After weeks of speculation regarding the Government lifting the public sector pay cap, this week’s announcement demonstrates that it is business as usual. The derisory increase in prison officer pay announced this morning goes nowhere close to meeting the rise in inflation, which rose to 2.9% in figures released this week.

Despite Tory rhetoric about proposals to lift the public sector pay cap, it is clear that no such move is intended.

Rather than announcing a raise for undervalued and underpaid staff, the Government has announced further cuts in pay for police and prison staff. To make matters worse the funding for these derisory increases will come from existing budgets, which means further cuts to frontline staff.

Labour will end the public sector pay cap – because our public sector workers deserve a fair wage.

For seven years public sector workers have seen deep cuts to their pay. It is a disgrace that one in five NHS staff are forced to take a second job simply to get by.

How can it be that, in the fifth richest nation on earth, public sector workers in Scunthorpe are forced to rely on emergency foodbanks?

With public sector pay falling faster than private pay and with another increase in the rate of inflation, Labour will scrap the 1% pay cap for all public sector workers.

On the same day we see inflation rise to 2.9% we get this derisory attempt by the Tories to pretend they are lifting the public sector pay cap, when in reality they are still going ahead with a pay cut in real terms for prison and police officers. And to add further insult to injury, the Government are paying for this minimal change by further cuts to their already strained budgets.

Only Labour is prepared to ensure that our dedicated public sector workers are truly recognised for what they do for their communities by ending the public sector pay cap for all public sector workers.

Together we can ensure that our public sector workers get the pay and the respect that they deserve. 

North Lincolnshire Council were the lowest spenders of Discretionary Housing Payments in the country for financial year 2016/17. This is money given to councils by Government to help local people who fall into short term difficulties paying their rent. Unspent money is sent back and spent elsewhere in the country. 

Conservative North Lincolnshire Council spent the lowest proportion of money allocated, spending only 17% of their allocation on helping local people. Of the 375 councils that spent their Discretionary Housing Payments budget only eight spent less than half.

The debate on the EU Withdrawal Bill began last week and the vote on the Second Reading will be late tonight. If the Bill is not passed as second reading it dies and the Government will have to bring a different Bill to the House.

I want to be clear with you - this Bill is not about whether Britain leaves the EU.

That issue was settled by the referendum result and the vote to trigger Article 50 which I and the vast majority of Labour MPs supported.