Nurses are being given a 1% pay rise and Hugh Laurie’s damning response went viral
There was widespread anger today after the government proposed that nurses be given a pay rise of just 1% next year.
The health department recommended the 1% increase to the independent panel that advises on NHS salaries, despite Boris Johnson’s fulsome praise – and clapping – for nurses’ efforts during the pandemic.
Here’s health minister Nadine Dorries defending the rise today. She said she was “pleasantly surprised” by the increase and said it was “all the Government can afford.”
“The 1% is what the government can afford.”
Health Minister, Nadine Dorries, says she understands the “sacrifice and commitment” of healthcare workers but insists the 1% pay rise for NHS staff is all the government “can afford and what the offer is”.https://t.co/Zb8KFCYw1d pic.twitter.com/C12bZwKA9l
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 5, 2021
Just in case you wondered what a 1% pay increase equates to.
For nurses, the proposed 1% pay rise for NHS staff means a real-terms rise of just £3.50 per week.
Please RT if you think that's disgusting.
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) March 4, 2021
And these people had a few more important numbers to share.
The annual cost of doubling the pay rise for the UK's 670,000 nurses from 1% to 2% (£174m) is less than the amount we wasted on unusable FFP2 facemasks for the Govt's VIP lane favourites Ayanda and Pestfix (£204m).
— Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) March 5, 2021
£37,000,000,000 for private Test and Trace.
£3.50 for NHS nurses.
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) March 5, 2021
Here’s how these nursing staff reacted.
PPE Selfies were so last wave.
But I’m more tired, more worn out and even more deflated after today’s news of a measly 1% pay rise for NHS Staff.
I hope @theRCN make it clear in their statement, that we will no longer accept this rubbish treatment pic.twitter.com/ELBgCHbN34
— Sam W (@SamAWillc) March 4, 2021
I'm a senior (band 6) Nurse.
A 1% pay rise only puts an extra £6 in my pocket each week, which doesn't even cover how much I get charged for parking at work.
— Callum Bell (@Callum_Bell8) March 4, 2021
Nicky, a nurse in Leeds, has rung into @LBC in tears. For her, the 1% equates to less £3.50-a-week.
"I was there holding people's hands as they were dying. It's a true kick in the teeth.
"There're qualified nurses who've gone and worked at Aldi because they get more."
— Theo Usherwood (@theousherwood) March 5, 2021
Here are just a few of the many, many things people were saying about it today.
Can't we just give the nurses the £350 million-a-week Brexit bonus?
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) March 5, 2021
The Tories discussing pay rises for the NHS: pic.twitter.com/3iDKLVqbX2
— i boop therefore i boopedy boop (@allyallyally_) March 5, 2021
— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) March 5, 2021
If nurses really wanted a proper, decent 40 per cent pay rise they’d stop moaning, get in the car, drive to Barnard Castle then tell bare faces lies about it on live TV. But they just can’t be bothered can they?
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) March 5, 2021
So when I was a kid, my mum was a paediatric nurse saving lives being paid poorly and disrespected.
Here we are 30+ years later and nurses and NHS staff are still being disrespected.
1%… I’m embarrassed. on a regular budget that would be meh! But after the year we’ve had.
— Noel Clarke (@NoelClarke) March 5, 2021
The Nadine Dorries who is defending the 1% pay rise for nurses is the MP who bunked off parliament to earn £82K in 'I'm a Celebrity, Get me out of here'
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) March 5, 2021
And this damning response, by Hugh Laurie, went most viral of all.
No no no. A 1% pay rise for nurses will not do.
— Hugh Laurie (@hughlaurie) March 4, 2021
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Source Twitter @hughlaurie
