BOTH of Warrington’s MPs are calling for the pay cap to be scrapped across the whole of the public sector.

Following months of pressure, last week the Government announced the annual cap on public sector pay rises is to be lifted, while also announcing there will be above one per cent pay rises for police and prison officers.

Labour’s Helen Jones and Faisal Rashid called the increase in prison officer pay as ‘derisory’ and questioned the Government’s intention to lift the public sector pay cap.

They also highlighted their fears over ‘further cuts in pay for police and prison staff’ that would have to come from ‘existing budgets’.

Both believe it will lead to ‘further cuts to frontline staff’.

In a joint statement, Mrs Jones and Mr Rashid said: “For seven years public sector workers have seen deep cuts to their pay.

“It is a disgrace that one in five NHS staff is 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 Warrington are forced to rely on emergency food banks.

“On the same day we see inflation rise to 2.9 per cent 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.”

Both of Warrington’s MPs are vowing to keep the pressure on the Government over the issue.

They added: “Adding further insult to injury, the Government are paying for this minimal change by further cuts to their already strained budgets. With public sector pay falling faster than private pay and with another increase in the rate of inflation, only Labour is prepared to ensure that our dedicated public sector workers are truly recognised for what they do for their communities by scrapping the one per cent pay cap for all public sector workers.”