Unions' pay demands would cost each household £1,000, says No10

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, is pictured in 10 Downing Street on December 7 - Simon Walker/No10 Downing Street
Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, is pictured in 10 Downing Street on December 7 - Simon Walker/No10 Downing Street
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Agreeing to double-digit pay rises across the whole of the public sector would cost every household in the UK £1,000, Downing Street has said.

No10 today restated its opposition to granting pay rises in line with inflation as it argued such a move would "embed" soaring prices which it described as "our shared enemy".

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: "It is inflation that is our shared enemy and if we were to push ahead with double-digit pay deals across the public sector, at a cost of £28 billion, that’s a cost of £1,000 per household.

"That would embed inflation, which currently is expected to fall significantly next year. So we would be acting against everyone’s interests if we were to take all the demands and meet them in full."

Strike action has now been scheduled for the Christmas period across a range of public service areas as the row over pay and conditions escalates.

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