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Unions are warning that Boris Johnson's public sector pay rise masks an "ugly plan" to slash jobs.

Mr Johnson’s ally Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that public sector workers would get a “fair” pay rise under Johnson.

But the GMB are warning that public services are not safe in his hands, after Mr Johnson had previously indicated public sector pay rises could be funded by getting rid of staff

Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary, said: “Public service workers desperately need a pay boost after years of Tory imposed austerity but Boris Johnson wants to take the cake with one hand and give back crumbs with the other.

“These warm words mask his ugly plan to slash jobs and run down our services.

“Our public services are underfunded, overstretched and short staffed, with morale damaged by years of real terms pay cuts.

“If he thinks this will reverse the damage, Boris Johnson is showing he is totally divorced from the reality faced by our members, who are delivering vital services day in, day out.

(Image: PA)

“This week marks the birthday of our NHS, but Boris Johnson is not fit to organise the party. The future of our prized public services are not safe in his hands."

Leadership rival Jeremy Hunt made enemies in the NHS when he imposed new contracts on junior doctors in 2016 and oversaw the slowest period of investment in the NHS since its foundation.

Mr Johnson's supporters have moved to capitalise on the weakness, with Mr Hancock telling the Times that public sector workers would get a "fair" pay rise under Mr Johnson.

A spokesman for the Royal College of Nursing, which represents over 300,000 nursing staff in England, said warm words would not help pay the bills of workers whose pay still lagged behind levels a decade ago.

He said: "Warm words about public sector workers won't get any new prime minister very far.

"The wages of too many still lag behind where they were 10 years ago in real terms.

"Until their pay matches the education and skills required, the Government will struggle to fill the 40,000 vacant nurse jobs in England."

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Mr Hancock said: "Now that there's money available we need to show the public sector some love - they do a brilliant job for the country,

"People in the public sector need to be properly rewarded for the brilliant job they do.

"Higher pay, not higher taxes, means a pay rise for everyone, including in the public sector."

A two-year public sector pay freeze was introduced under David Cameron before rises were capped at 1% until 2017 under austerity measures.

Mr Hancock added he had just given junior doctors an 8% pay rise over several years and claimed this showed "the days of pay freezes are over".