Sunak urges bankers to limit pay rises in battle against inflation

Rishi Sunak has urged top City bankers to limit pay rises to help in the fight against inflation - and said that NHS workers using foodbanks is a "tragedy".

The Prime Minister made the comments in an interview with ITV News, after being asked about bankers' bonuses hitting £20,000 on average this year, according to the TUC, £5,000 higher than last year.

Asked if he would urge banks to join the effort against inflation through pay, Mr Sunak said: "Of course, I would say to all executives to embrace pay restraint at a time like this and make sure they are also looking after all their workers.... Of course, in a situation like this I'm sure executives of most companies will be thinking about pay settlements for senior management, for their workers, and making sure they are fair."

Speaking in Bali at the G20 meeting, prime minister added: "That is what everyone would expect and I'm sure that's what most companies are doing."

Asked if he felt ashamed about statistics suggesting one in four hospitals had set up food banks for staff, Mr Sunak said he had "enormous gratitude" for nurses and all NHS workers but said the 17% pay rise being asked for was "unaffordable".

But pushed on whether it was his burning desire to overturn a statistic like the one in four hospitals, he said it was.

"I think obviously it's a tragedy people have to use foodbanks. No one wants to see foodbanks in our society. But while people are using them I've got enormous admiration and gratitude for the people providing them in my constituency and elsewhere.

"But I do of course want to get to a position where no-one needs to use a foodbank."

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