MPs back nurses' call for a proper pay rise

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It comes as the Royal College of Nursing is taking the unprecedented step of balloting 300,000 NHS nurses on whether they would be prepared to support a vote for industrial action.

Nurses are infuriated that their 2.5 per cent pay increase will be in two stages - a 1.5 per cent pay rise from April, followed by further 1 per cent rise in November.

The College said that when inflation is taken into account, this equates to a pay cut of £570 a year, assuming the average wage of a registered nurse is £24,841.

At the College's annual Congress in Harrogate in April, General Secretary Dr Peter Carter announced his plans to write to MPs across the UK to find out where they stand on the issue of nurses' pay.

He has now received the backing of Labour deputy leadership candidate John Cruddas, former health secretary Frank Dobson and former ministers Kate Hoey and Stephen Byers.

Conservative leader David Cameron, Tory Health spokesman Andrew Lansley and Northern Ireland's First Minister, the Rev Ian Paisley have also lent their support, as have LibDem leader Sir Menzies Campbell and his predecessor Charles Kennedy.

So far 186 MPs have either written directly to express their support or signed Early Day Motions calling for a fair pay deal.

The College's rules effectively prevent an all-out strike but nurses could still stage industrial action by refusing to work overtime - costing the NHS £13million a week.