Minister won’t say if nurses deserve to be paid as much as MPs

Pay demands dismissed as ‘remarkably high’ by cabinet minister, as winter strike action looms

Nurses’ pay rise demands have been dismissed as “remarkably high” by a cabinet minister who warned that looming strike action will “completely disrupt” vital NHS services.

Chris Heaton-Harris said it was “very difficult” to say whether nurses get paid enough, and refused to say whether they deserved to be paid as much as MPs.

The Northern Ireland secretary told Sky News: “I think that’s an unfair question … we’re in completely different places”, adding: “Some people wouldn’t want to pay politicians anything.”