Labour conference: regional pay is "wrong way to go"

Labour has said proposals for regional public sector pay are the "wrong way to go".

The Chancellor has begun looking into ending national pay bargaining, which sees public sector workers paid a similar salary regardless of where they live, in an effort to boost the private sector.

But Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umanna told Calendar News that Labour is against the plans, warning it could turn public services into a "regional lottery".

Last week Liberal Democrats overwhelmingly passed a motion calling on the Government to rule out "any further expansion" in regional or local pay.