200 MPs back nurses over pay row

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

Nurses are infuriated that their 2.5% pay increase this year will be in two stages: a 1.5% pay rise from April followed by further 1% rise in November.

This works out at 1.9% over the year, which the RCN said equates to a pay cut in real terms of £570 a year, given that the average wage of a registered nurse is £24,841.

At the RCN's annual Congress in Harrogate in April, RCN 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 Jon Cruddas, former health secretary Frank Dobson and former ministers Kate Hoey and Stephen Byers.

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

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

Dr Carter said: "At our annual congress in April nurses spoke with one voice that the Government's decision to stage this year's pay award in breach of the independent Pay Review Body is unjust, undeserved and unacceptable. It is clear from the response we have received so far that many MPs of all political persuasions also believe the Government is just plain wrong on this issue.

"I would like to thank them for supporting our campaign for a fair pay deal for nurses and I urge those MPs who have not yet done so to follow their example."