Heidi Allen Copyright: Heidi Allen

Labour had appealed to Conservative MPs to back its amendment opposing the public sector pay cap - but one of them has told the Huffington Post why she could not vote for it.

Speaking to HuffPost UK after the vote, Tory MP Heidi Allen - who would like to see the cap lifted - said she was unable to back Labour’s amendment as it was "too partisan".

She also queried introducing a blanket pay rise for all public sector workers.

“'Public services includes the very highest paid chief executives, managers, Whitehall chiefs too' [she said].

“'I cannot support a blanket pay rise to all of those.

“'We need to focus on those public sector workers such as nurses, healthcare assistants and all those on the front line.'”