Sir Keir Starmer says he 'does not want to see strike action' over public sector pay

Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not want to see public sector workers strike over pay, arguing there is a "much better way of doing business".

The prime minister was speaking after The Times reported that teachers had been recommended for a near 4% pay rise and NHS workers close to 3% by the two relevant independent pay review bodies. Care minister Stephen Kinnock said on Monday that the government had now received the recommendations and would give them "very careful consideration".

Asked about the possibility of strikes, Sir Keir told broadcasters at a health centre: "I don't want to see strike action, I don't think anybody wants to see strike action. "And certainly here we are in a healthcare environment with all the staff working really hard.

The last thing they want to do is to go into dispute again. "We solved disputes, we are working with the NHS.

It's because of the way that we are working with the NHS that we are able to bring waiting lists down and make other announcements today." He added: "What I think we are proving here - what I hope we are proving - is if you work with the NHS staff, you get better results than the last government, which just went into battle with them. "So, we have got our doctors and nurses on the front line, not the picket line, and I think everybody appreciates that's a much better way of doing business." According to The Times, teachers and NHS workers in England have been told to expect a pay rise of close to 4% and 3%, respectively.

The figures are higher than the 2.8% the government has offered - meaning it must now decide whether to increase its offer in line with the pay review bodies, as it did last year. But Downing Street was clear on Monday that the government would not be providing any extra funding for increases above 2.8%.

The prime minister's official spokesman said: "There'll be no additional funding for pay if recommended awards exceed what departments can afford." Speaking to Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast, Mr Kinnock also urged trade unions to "engage constructively with us". "We've received the recommendation of the pay review body and we will give that very careful consideration," he said.

He said the government was "all about putting more money into the pockets of working people.