Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies has said he supports lifting the public sector pay cap – despite voting to keep it.
The Conservative member voted with the government in last night’s crunch Commons vote against a Labour amendment to lift the 1% cap on pay for public sector workers such as emergency services, military and NHS workers.
Labour had tabled an amendment to the Queen’s Speech which called for an immediate change to the pay policy and for an end to cuts to the police and emergency services.
But the government won the vote on the issue, the first of the new Parliament, by 323 votes to 309. All 10 MPs from the DUP voted with the Conservatives to give the government a majority of 14.
Mr Davies said he supported lifting the cap but added: "Last night was just an opportunity for the opposition to try and derail the government, something I wasn’t prepared to support.
"If the Queen’s Speech is voted down the government would not be able put its agenda together and would fall. It was a very clever ruse by the opposition to try and get the government to fall.
"I would be in favour of the cap being lifted but last night was not the mechanism to carry it out or change it for the better."
Mr Davies, whose wife is nurse, said he believed the government will make concessions on public sector pay.
He said: "I’ve spoken with the government and I feel confident there will be change. I’m married to an NHS worker, who has worked for the NHS for 20 years, and some of my greatest friends work in the NHS or as teachers."
The government faced criticism for what was dubbed a "double u-turn" on the pay cap.
Downing Street suggested the 1% cap could be lifted and the PM’s spokesman suggested the autumn budget could change the policy. Two cabinet ministers also suggested the cap could be reconsidered.
However the Treasury, in a later statement, said the policy hadn’t changed a position then re-stated by Downing Street.
Opposition politicians and trade unions have criticised the cap as it has meant staff have faced real term pay cuts and said it has also hit recruitment and retention in the public sector.