A pattern of praise without reward

The third consecutive month of terror, disasters and political caprice in England ends. In the wake of the Grenfell Tower catastrophe, stories of emergency personnel's heroism continue to trickle in, as does the government's praise for their courage and competence. With every calamity, speeches and articles rush to thank the emergency services. With each saved life, their value is accepted; their expertise declared indispensable. And yet, this is where the praise is capped. It does not guarantee job security after Brexit, nor does it translate to a pay rise.

Verbose praise for emergency services can no longer obscure the unfairness reflected in their salaries. The UK government has capped the pay rise of around 500 000 public sector workers (including paramedics) at 1% per year. If the cap is to be lifted to match annual inflation, the Institute for Fiscal Studies reports that it would cost the government an annual £4.1 billion by 2019–20. Recent election results, several debates and demonstrations repeatedly call for an end to this cap, and despite promising to listen to the public, the promises do not turn into policies.