Rishi Sunak’s public sector worker pay offer doesn’t impact Scotland - but where the money comes from does

The Prime Minister has announced a pay rise, but the devil is in the detail.

On paper, the announcement that Rishi Sunak was going to hike public sector pay in England should be cause for celebration.

If accepted, as it appears it will be, it’s a salary bump for workers in dire need of one, feeling undervalued and underpaid by the UK Government.

Teachers, doctors, nurses, all of whom have been on frequent strikes south of the border will now get more for their work, with the Prime Minister accepting the pay review body recommendations.

What of Scotland, then, where Humza Yousaf’s Government last week agreed to increase the pay of junior doctors by 12.4 per cent in a major last-ditch concession to avoid strike action. SNP ministers have also agreed pay settlements for teachers, up seven per cent this financial year.

Surely with pay rises in England, sweet nuggets of Barnett will be finding their way up the road? No, no they will not. Because, as is becoming the trend with this UK Government, there are always caveats.While there are pay boosts for public sector workers, it is not coming from an increase to budgets, there is no bump in resources. Instead, unions are warning that while staff will b