evidence: Nurses have described the proposed pay rise as "insulting", with unions threatening strike action and warning that the "pitiful" rise may lead staff to quit their jobs - worsening staffing issues in the health service. [...] Labour's Mr Jonathan Ashworth said Conservative MPs had already voted for a pay rise of 2.1% for NHS workers when a long-term spending plan for the health service passed through the House of Commons in January 2020. [...] At least 1.3 million other public sector staff - including teachers, the armed forces, firefighters and police officers - are about to have their pay frozen for a year.