Lib Dems would give £527 pay rise to nurses in Cumbria to address staffing shortages

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has announced that the party would end years of pay restraint for nurses, teachers and police in Cumbria by lifting the 1% cap on public sector pay and increase wages in line with inflation.

Under Liberal Democrat plans, the 4,782 teachers working in Cumbria would get an average pay rise of £918 by 2021, while the 1,102 police working for Cumbria Police would see their pay boosted by £471.

The plans would also lead to an estimated pay rise of £527 for more than 3000 nurses working in Cumbria by 2021, helping to tackle the shortage of nurses and potential strikes over pay this summer.

In contrast, the Conservative's public sector pay cap combined with rising inflation since the Brexit vote will mean that by 2021, the average nurse will be nearly £4000 worse off.

The announcement comes as a survey by the Royal College of Nursing has revealed 9 out of 10 nursing leaders say they are worried about their ability to recruit nurses and that there are an estimated 40,000 nursing vacancies in the NHS.

Tim said: "Public sector workers in Cumbria are facing a double blow at the hands of this Conservative government, with years of pitiful pay increases combined with soaring inflation.

"Our NHS and schools are already struggling to recruit the staff they need.

"Living standards are falling, prices are rising and nurses are going to food banks - but Theresa May doesn't care.

"A better future is possible. The Liberal Democrats will stand up for our schools and hospitals and give hard-working nurses, teachers and police the pay rise they deserve."