Keir Starmer on collision course with unions over public sector pay

PM tells unions to prepare for disappointment despite warnings of a crisis in staffing and recruitment

Keir Starmer is on a collision course with unions after playing down the chance of real-terms pay increases for public sector staff in negotiations, prompting widespread warnings of a crisis in recruitment and staffing.

While Downing Street is not ruling out some above-inflation settlements, as could happen for junior doctors, Starmer warned unions to be prepared for disappointment ahead of the imminent findings of a series of pay review bodies.