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Anger at public pay freeze plan Anger at public pay freeze plan
(about 3 hours later)
Public sector representatives have criticised a plan by Chancellor Alistair Darling to freeze the pay of senior staff, including GPs and judges.Public sector representatives have criticised a plan by Chancellor Alistair Darling to freeze the pay of senior staff, including GPs and judges.
The British Medical Association called it "very disappointing", while union the First Division Association said Mr Darling was playing "a political game".The British Medical Association called it "very disappointing", while union the First Division Association said Mr Darling was playing "a political game".
The government said "tough, but realistic decisions on pay" were vital.The government said "tough, but realistic decisions on pay" were vital.
But Conservative leader David Cameron said the news was "cynical in timing and quite insubstantial in content".But Conservative leader David Cameron said the news was "cynical in timing and quite insubstantial in content".
The chancellor's move breaks the convention about avoiding big policy statements during rival party conferences - shadow chancellor George Osborne is due to deliver his keynote speech to the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Tuesday. The chancellor's move breaks the convention about avoiding big policy statements during rival party conferences.
A spokesman for the prime minister said there was "no plan" for the announcement to be made during the Tory conference, adding: "Sometimes things get out."
But during his speech in Manchester on Tuesday, shadow chancellor George Osborne criticised the move, saying Mr Darling "didn't have the guts" to announce the freeze to his own party's conference.
'Very disappointing''Very disappointing'
Mr Darling has written to salary review bodies calling on them to freeze the pay of 40,000 senior public servants in 2010/11.Mr Darling has written to salary review bodies calling on them to freeze the pay of 40,000 senior public servants in 2010/11.
He also recommended that about 700,000 middle-ranking public servants, including doctors, dentists and prison officers, get a rise of between 0 and 1%.He also recommended that about 700,000 middle-ranking public servants, including doctors, dentists and prison officers, get a rise of between 0 and 1%.
I agree you have to treat MPs the same as other senior workers Yvette Cooper Work and Pensions Secretary Stephanomics: An embarrassment of cuts
If fully implemented, the pay freeze would be the toughest public sector pay deal in 30 years.If fully implemented, the pay freeze would be the toughest public sector pay deal in 30 years.
It does not affect teachers, nurses and police officers, who are still subject to three-year pay deals which come to an end next year, or members of the armed forces.It does not affect teachers, nurses and police officers, who are still subject to three-year pay deals which come to an end next year, or members of the armed forces.
We hope ministers aren't playing politics with people's pay Jonathan Baume, First Division Association Stephanomics: An embarrassment of cuts
The British Medical Association said Mr Darling's move was "very disappointing news" and insisted it was "not the time to demoralise doctors".The British Medical Association said Mr Darling's move was "very disappointing news" and insisted it was "not the time to demoralise doctors".
Dr Lawrence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said: "He won't get rid of management consultants who drain a large amount of money to American management companies. He won't stop spending money on computer systems where he's chucked billions of pounds into things that don't work.Dr Lawrence Buckman, chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said: "He won't get rid of management consultants who drain a large amount of money to American management companies. He won't stop spending money on computer systems where he's chucked billions of pounds into things that don't work.
"Yet we have to freeze our pay, which I can understand, but in freezing our pay, he also freezes our staff's pay, and that seems to me to be a monumental unfairness.""Yet we have to freeze our pay, which I can understand, but in freezing our pay, he also freezes our staff's pay, and that seems to me to be a monumental unfairness."
'Tough, but realistic' 'Political game'
Jonathan Baume, from the First Division Association, said the freeze would affect "key workers" who were "doing very demanding jobs" Jonathan Baume, from the First Division Association, said they were "extremely disappointed" and the freeze would affect "key workers" who were "doing very demanding jobs"
"We are extremely disappointed," he said. "We hope ministers aren't playing politics with people's pay.
"We weren't expecting particularly large rises, but I don't think it's very helpful for the government to announce freezes like this in what looks to be part of a political game, vying with the Conservatives to see who can be toughest at the moment.""We weren't expecting particularly large rises, but I don't think it's very helpful for the government to announce freezes like this in what looks to be part of a political game, vying with the Conservatives to see who can be toughest at the moment."
Mr Baume said his members recognised there was "a crisis in public finance", but at a time when ministers needed senior public sector staff to work with them to make savings, it was "a pretty poor way to motivate and reward". But David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the pay freeze, but said it was "long overdue" and should be combined with a freeze on public sector recruitment.
A Treasury source told the BBC the pay freeze would cancel a rise due next summer as part of a current three-year pay deal.A Treasury source told the BBC the pay freeze would cancel a rise due next summer as part of a current three-year pay deal.
It's quite insubstantial in content and it's not part of an overall approach David CameronConservative leader Freeze top public pay - Darling
The move would apply to health workers in England and Wales, but not those in Scotland.The move would apply to health workers in England and Wales, but not those in Scotland.
But senior civil servants working in national organisations in Scotland, such as HM Revenue and Customs, would be affected.But senior civil servants working in national organisations in Scotland, such as HM Revenue and Customs, would be affected.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne said the government had to take difficult decisions to help cut Britain's fiscal deficit. Asked whether a pay freeze would extend to MPs, Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC: "Ministers took no pay increase this year and I think that's right.
"We have also put forward evidence in terms of MPs because I agree you have to treat MPs the same as other senior workers."
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne also defended the freeze, saying the government had to take difficult decisions to help cut Britain's fiscal deficit.
"That means leadership from senior groups and realistic increases for other workforces," he added."That means leadership from senior groups and realistic increases for other workforces," he added.
Speaking to BBC News, Conservative leader David Cameron said: "What the chancellor said last night, I thought, was slightly cynical in timing and it's also quite insubstantial in content and it's not part of an overall approach.
"What you are going to see from George Osborne is quite a contrast, instead of not saying something to his party conference, which is what Labour have done, you will see George explaining to our party conference, what needs to be done."
David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the pay freeze, but said it was "long overdue" and should be combined with a freeze on public sector recruitment.