David Lammy MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, responding to the government’s decision to reject the pay review body’s recommendation of a £3,000 uplift for Band 3 prison officers, said:

“This is an insult to prison officers, who have gone into work tirelessly throughout this pandemic in order to keep the country safe.

“It is a disgrace that the government is overlooking key workers while handing out multi-million pound dodgy contracts to enrich their cronies.”