A Northumberland Tory MP has insisted "money is tight" when asked about upcoming strikes.
Hexham's Conservative MP Guy Opperman was speaking on Question Time in Bishop Auckland when he was asked if "Britain was broken" as rail workers, nurses, postal workers and more prepare to go on strike over pay and conditions.
Employment Minister Mr Opperman, who was represented Hexham since 2010, appeared on the BBC show on Thursday night as the show visited the North East.
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Mr Opperman said the Government "clearly" supported public sector workers and pointed to the measures in place to support the public through the cost of living crisis, such as the energy support grant scheme. He added that it was "right and proper" that the Government and workers accepted the view of the independent pay review bodies.
Mr Opperman continued: "At the same time we're trying to keep inflation under control. Some of the requests for pay rises are simply unsustainable in the circumstances that exist in the country today, where money is tight and when public sector money is tight as well."
Labour shadow cabinet minister Lucy Powell, who was on the same panel, argued that nurses in particular were feeling "a lot of stress" and the NHS was facing "huge backlogs and pressures" as well as suffering from abuse.
The Royal College of Nursing will go on strike for the first time in its history on Thursday December 15 and Tuesday December 20 "unless Government negotiations are able to pause the action". RCN has committed to a "life-preserving care model" during industrial action.
The RCN argue that nurses have endured a real-terms wage cut of 20% since 2010, while nursing staff vacancies have hit record levels as NHS trusts struggle to recruit and retain staff. Nurses are calling for a pay rise of five per cent above inflation, as well as better working conditions.
The Government has offered £1,400 extra a year. Mr Opperman added: "Bluntly, there is a difficult circumstance", and blamed Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. He also pointed out that there are now 32,000 more nurses than in 2019, but accepted that demand was increasing.
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