PMQ: Pay Cuts for Nurses

The United Kingdom Parliament met together for the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions Time. Labor Party and Opposition Leader Sir Keir Starmer asked six questions to Prime Minister and Conservative Party Leader Boris Johnson regarding tax cuts for nurses.

Starmer began by criticizing Johnson’s recent pay rise for Dominic Cummings while cutting the pay towards nurses.  He said that since 2010, nurses pay had fallen by 800 pounds.

“He could afford to give Dominic Cummings a 40% pay rise,” Starmer said.

Johnson responded by noting that nurse salaries had gone up by 12.8% in the past few years. There had also been 10,600 nurses added in the past year. Furthermore, 60,000 more nurses were currently in training.

Johnson praised the nurse and healthcare workers. He said that during his time visiting hospitals, nurses top concerns were to have more trained medical professionals to help. To help with this, he brought about 5,000 pounds of bursaries for nurses and 3,000 pounds for training and childcare.

“Its because of that package, that this year, I believe we’re seeing another 34% increase in applications for nurses,” Johnson said.

Starmer said that there are still 40,000 nurse positions and 7,000 doctor positions that were vacant. He said that Johnson’s recent pay cut towards nurses would only worsen their jobs.

He also said that Johnson had used 2.6 million pounds from taxpayer money on a TV studio. He also used 200,000 pounds on new wallpaper for his flat.

“They say charity starts at home but I think the Prime Minister is taking it a bit too literally,” Starmer said.

Johnson said that there had been more funding put towards the NHS under the current government. This year had resulted in 6,500 more doctors, 18,000 more healthcare workers, and 10,600 more nurses.

He said that he would deliver on his promises. The government will build 40 more hospitals, and recruit 50,000 more nurses.

“We’re gonna do that because of our sound management of the economy and the fastest vaccine rollout program of any comparable country,” he said.

Starmer said that Johnson’s own conservative MPs had criticized his pay cut towards nurses. Some had called his decision pathetic and unacceptable. Furthermore, the conservative party had increased taxes on families.

“The mask really is slipping, and we can see what the conservative party now stands for,” Starmer said.

Johnson said that the current government had followed a clear set of values while Starmer jumped back and forth between position.

“We vaccinate, we get on with delivering for the people of this country. We vaccinate, he vacillates,” Johnson said.

Other Members of Parliament asked questions to Johnson during the remainder of the PMQs.