The Welsh Government has attacked plans announced by Tory leadership hopeful Liz Truss to cut public sector pay outside of London and the south east of England as she U-turned just hours after unveiling them.
The Tory leadership hopeful had said she wanted to introduce regional pay boards to try and save a potential £8.8bn. This would have likely had a severe impact on Wales. Pay for direct employees of the UK Government (such as the DVLA in Swansea, HMRC in Cardiff or passport office in Newport) would have been hit. And any move to cut the UK's public sector pay bill for NHS workers or teachers would cut the money the Welsh Government receives to fund wages here.
After a furious backlash Ms Truss has now U-turned. Her campaign issued a statement blaming the reporting of her comments on the media: “Current levels of public sector pay will absolutely be maintained. Anything to suggest otherwise is simply wrong.”
