Cameron backs plan for regional pay deals

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post on the first day of the Conservative Party conference, the Prime Minister said he is convinced “there is a case” for public sector workers to be paid different wages in different parts of the country, despite fierce opposition from backbench Liberal Democrats and many of his own MPs in the North who fear lower pay would suck money out of the region’s economy.

In a wide-ranging briefing with regional journalists, Mr Cameron said support for “aspiration” would form the centrepiece of policy announcements this week, which yesterday included a further one-year freeze on council tax and a reduction in the next hike on rail fares.

He also defended controversial policies such as the forthcoming badger cull – which he said was “the right policy for healthy badgers as well as for healthy cattle” – and his planning shake-up that will make it easier for homeowners to build large extensions.

And in the wake of the West Coast rail franchise fiasco, he defended the privatisation of the railways and slapped down calls from Labour for the East Coast line to be left in public hands.

“It’s a very good service at
the moment, but I think in time the idea of opening up rail lines
to long franchises so the companies involved can make real commitments is a good one,” he
said. “I don’t think re-nationalising the railways would be the right thing to do. Since privatisation there are more people using the railways.”