Cost of living: No 10 defends above-inflation rise for pensioners but not public sector workers – live
Pensions triple lock likely to be significantly higher' but PM's spokesman says similar public sector rise would be inflationary
In interviews this morning Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, reaffirmed the government's intention to change the legislation to allow firms to use agency workers to fill in for staff who are on strike. (See 11.14am.) As we report in our overnight lead on the strike, Whitehall sources say No 10 and the Cabinet Office are pushing for this, rather than the business department.
Yesterday, the TUC and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) put out a joint statement opposing the idea in the strongest possible terms". They said it was unworkable.
I don't know how bringing in untrained, non-safety critical, inexperienced workers into a dangerous environment like the railway - with high speed trains, there are high voltage distribution systems, there are rules and regulations that have the power of statute - how that will help anyone, whether they are a passenger or a worker or manager or whatever?
I don't see how the use, the deployment of students or people who have got no work experience that are working for an agency will help anyone to resolve this situation, so as usual [Grant Shapps is] just spouting nonsense given to him from some policy unit which doesn't help to resolve the situations which are in front of us.
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