Tory Minister asked whether nurses or barristers 'more important'

On LBC today Tory minister Maria Caulfield was asked a question that left her squirming,

Caulfield was asked by Nick Ferrari why barristers have been handed 15 per cent pay deal, while nurses have been offered a cut price 4 per cent.

Nurses are calling for a 19 per cent pay rise but have indicated they are open to negotiate on this figure.

Caulfield said barristers hadn’t had a pay rise “for a number of years” while nurses got a 3 per cent pay rise last year.

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“Well it depends if you’re a criminal facing prosecution, your barrister’s probably pretty important to you,” Maria replied.

In response, Nick Ferrari said: “If I’m fighting for life I think I’ll probably go for a nurse rather than a barrister but do go on minister.”

Caulfield said nurses do “deserve a pay rise” but added “we have to be able to afford it too”.

Watch

Reactions

Please people of lewes boot this mp out at the next election https://t.co/pzXt8kDJ6O
— Mark Stacey (@VintiquesMark) February 6, 2023

Not seen this one! Thought all the thick as mince ministers had been wheeled out.
Every days a …… https://t.co/MhSjAarsdu
— Baron Michael LogOps (@MLogops) February 6, 2023

What a train crash of an interview with government Minister, Maria Caulfield on #r4today. The minister kept saying that the government couldn’t give nurses a pay rise because it will “increase inflation” but couldn’t explain HOW paying nurses more increases inflation #nhsstrikes
— Dr Zubaida Haque (@Zubhaque) February 6, 2023

Maria Caulfield says that a pay rise which matches inflation is not a pay rise because the increase is swallowed up by inflation.
So sho want nurses to accept less than inflation.
Is she daft?
#r4today
— C Murray (@10pcoin) February 6, 2023

She also had this to say on Good Morning Britain…

'We want to have discussions about pay.'

Maria Caulfield responds to Ben's question about why the govt can't offer nurses a pay increase now amid the news that £400k a day is being spent on private ambulances and taxis to get people to hospital appointments and surgeries. pic.twitter.com/uePpqj2soO
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) February 6, 2023