The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is working alongside an MP who voted against scrapping public sector pay restraint.
MariaCaulfield, a nurse-turned-Tory MP, voted against scrapping the public sector pay cap – but is now inviting MPs who did vote to end the public sector pay cap to join her campaign with the against the policy.
In June, The Labour Party tabled a proposition to end the on-going pay cap on public sector workers during a debate on the Queens Speech. But the vote has been defeated by a majority of just 14 votes.
The MP one of 10 Tory MPs who spoke out against the cap and then voted for it and was one of three former nurses who voted against the removal of the cap.
But in a controversial move, she has sent MPs an invitation to an event she is hosting with the Royal College of Nursing in Parliament on September 6th 2017.
Ironic and ridiculous that @mariacaulfield has sponsored a @theRCN event on #ScrapTheCap when she voted against giving nurses a pay rise! pic.twitter.com/7LbM26RwtM
— Grahame Morris (@grahamemorris) July 24, 2017
Karen Lee, a Labour MP and former nurse, has called Maria Caulfield “utterly cynical and shameful”.
An RCN spokesman said: “The RCN works cross party to campaign for its members on a wide variety of issues. Maria Caulfield MP is a former nurse who shares many of our aims.”
Maria Caulfield MP said “Having worked fulltime under the pay freeze and cap I know how hard it can be. To ensure the 1% cap is scrapped we need as many MPs from across the House of Common to support the campaign.”
“This is why I am working with the Royal College of Nursing to give them the chance to speak with all MPs and get their message across loud and clear.”