Civil service: Dan Wootton hits out at pay rises during pandemic
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GB news host Dan Wootton has lashed out at the British Civil Service over their Covid pay rise, calling it a “disgrace”. He said it is time for some “accountability” from members of the service. The attack came after the revelation that top Treasury civil servants were handed up to a 30 percent pay rise during the pandemic despite Chancellor Rishi Sunak freezing public sector pay.
Speaking on GB News, Dan Wootton remarked: “Following the maddening news that pencil pushers in the Treasury had their wages boosted by up to 30 percent and received 15,000 pound bonuses during the pandemic when so many hardworking folk face redundancy and NHS workers were battling for a pay rise.
“My guest tonight has called for a total overhaul of the civil service.
Mr Wootton continued: “This level of incompetence wouldn’t be accepted in the private sector, so why are we all funding the public sector.
“It’s an outrage, isn’t it, that’s totally unaccountable.
“These civil servants have absolutely no idea of what ordinary folks running businesses, losing work have had to grapple with over the past 18 months.
“And you know what, I’m getting damn fed up of it.”
Treasury civil servants were given pay increases and £15,000 bonuses during the Covid crisis, despite rows over nurses’ pay and Rishi Sunak’s insistence that there was no money for more public sector workers.
The department’s accounts revealed that six of the top nine officials who were working in the pandemic received pay rises, while five received a bonus.
The Chancellor’s chief economist, Clare Lombardelli, was handed a rise of at least £30,000 – pushing her salary towards £150,000.
NHS staff, including nurses, paramedics, and dentists have received a 3 percent pay rise in recognition of their service to the British public during the pandemic.
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For an average nurse, this entails an additional £1,000 a year.
Mr Sunal said in March: “Given the very obviously difficult fiscal situation that we face … to try to protect those public-sector jobs, it was reasonable to take a more targeted approach to public-sector pay this year.”
Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith branded the pay rises as “bizarre”.
Mr Duncan Smith said; ”I would have thought that they would show a bit of sympathy and that even if you were to pay them bonuses, they weren’t paid until everyone was back to work properly.
“I am surprised at the lack of judgment. Everyone had a tough time last year and I just find it bizarre that anyone would be paid a pay rise at that time. It’s very poor timing and we should use a bit of political nouse on this one.”
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