The pandemic has been an economic catastrophe as well as a health crisis: the biggest recession and debt since the War and £260 billion of Covid relief to pay for.

The Chancellor is right to insist on public spending discipline to avoid interest rates rising. There is no magic money tree.

But our frontline carers and nurses have gone the extra mile. Rather than a blanket 1% for all NHS staff including the highest paid, I would hope the Pay Review body focus the same money on a bigger rise for the lowest paid on the frontline.

Covid has hit the lowest paid frontline healthcare and self-employed workers hardest.

That’s why I encouraged a pay-freeze for all MPs ahead of the new financial year, and I welcome the confirmation that a pay-freeze has been implemented.

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