NHS Pay

Debate between Jonathan Ashworth and Jack Dromey

Wednesday 13th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Jonathan Ashworth]

It is a shocking disgrace, which is why the Labour party has consistently campaigned to get rid of the pay cap; it is why, in our manifesto, which we took to the British people a few months ago, we said we would get rid of the pay cap, and why it is absolutely disgraceful that Conservative Members stood on a manifesto to keep the pay cap.

[Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab)]

Mandy McKeown’s son Liam died seven times. He survived, thanks to the dedicated work of neonatal intensive care nurses. Tracey, who came to Parliament last week, spoke of having suffered a 14% cut in pay, two-thirds of her fellow nurses taking second jobs and a haemorrhage of nurses from the profession that they love. Does my hon. Friend agree that it is utterly shameful to treat those to whom we owe the difference between the life and death of sick babies in this way?

[Jonathan Ashworth]

My hon. Friend has spoken incredibly powerfully about that case and he is quite right to say it is shameful.