Welsh Conservatives have accused Labour of double standards on the issue of regional pay.
In 2008 the Labour UK Government introduced localised pay for courts services across the UK, while then Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy MP called regional pay a ‘reality in the economy as a whole’. The government’s policy, he said, was that ‘pay should reflect local labour market conditions’.
Despite this, the First Minister has attacked the UK Government for announcing a review into how ‘public sector pay can be made more responsive to local labour markets’.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Assembly, Andrew RT Davies AM, said:
“This is an appalling case of double standards from the First Minister.
“Carwyn Jones should stop stamping his feet and remember that his own party championed the issue of regional pay and even introduced it in courts services.
“The UK Government has simply announced a review into pay in the various different economies of the UK – which Labour has decided will inevitably lead to the very regional pay system that was their policy three years ago.
“In reality, no changes are being proposed. We remain at the very early stages of a review that will look at a wide range of issues.”
