Shameful pay freeze is an insult to key workers | Letters

Freezing public sector wages is an attack on those already hardest hit by the pandemic, writes Marion Doherty. Plus letters from Alan Millington, Pete Dorey and Gary Bennett

Why does the Guardian (New UK spending row as Rishi Sunak puts squeeze on public sector salaries, 20 November) continue to use squeeze", restraint" and belt-tightening" to describe what are vicious cuts to the wealth and health of working people? These cuts will disproportionately fall on women, BAME people, lone parents and the most economically deprived parts of the country. Using such language normalises the significant attacks by this government.

Such an attack is not just aimed at the public sector, but at depressing wages for all workers. With rising poverty, inequality and the hypocrisy of the government's levelling-up rhetoric, the Guardian needs to tell it like it is. With shareholder dividends being thrown around, who should pay for the crisis is not a difficult question. The answer is not workers.
Marion Doherty
Swinton, Manchester