LOCAL MP Stephen Crabb has been criticised after voting against an amendment calling for an end to the 1% cap on public sector pay despite days of media interviews where he had pushed for pay rises for teachers, nurses and council workers.

Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Mr Crabb had made several TV appearances in the run-up to yesterday’s vote – brought by Labour as an amendment to the Queen’s Speech - in which he argued that years of public sector pay restraint had badly hit the Tories during the recent election.

Under current plans a 1% cap on public sector pay rises will continue until 2020.

But some Tory MPs, Mr Crabb included, have called for the cap to be reconsidered.

During recent media interviews Mr Crabb has repeatedly told the story of a nurse from Milford Haven who, he said, told him she liked him as a constituency MP but could not vote for him due to cuts.

Speaking to The Wales Report on BBC Wales, Mr Crabb, who is a former Work and Pensions Secretary of State,  said: "I think we really need to tune our ear much more closely to the needs of the public sector in Wales and across the UK.

"Clearly these seven years of wage restraint we've had, which has kept a limit on wage growth for people in the public sector, we probably need to be looking at that.

"It's about time people across different sectors had a wage increase."

But on Wednesday night Mr Crabb, voted against the Labour amendment.

The vote was won by the Government by 323 to 309, with the support of the DUP.

All opposition parties voted for the amendment.

Mr Crabb told the Western Telegraph today (Thursday): "The blanket cap on pay rises in the public sector also applies to the very highest paid chief executives, senior managers, and bureaucrats.

"Labour’s amendment would have given those groups a massive pay rise and that is why I voted against it.

"There is simply not the money to fund large pay rises across the board. But I do believe strongly that nurses and low paid healthcare workers deserve a pay rise, and I am working hard to bring that about.

"I will continue making the case to Ministers."

Responding to Mr Crabb on Facebook, one woman said: “Both myself and my husband are nurses, have to say how disappointed I was with the outcome of the vote.

“I don't expect miracles but I do expect to be treated fairly.”

She added: “Personally I feel there is no real intention of scrapping the cap for nurses. We shouldn't be penalised because of wages of chief executives. Watching the 'cheers' as the verdict was given showed a true lack of respect.”

Another person commented on Twitter adding: “Praising our emergency services and simultaneously cutting their real pay year after year is hypocrisy gone mad - and demotivating to all.”

Simon Hart, Conservative MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, also voted against the amendment.

Mr Hart told the Western Telegraph: "I thought that last night’s vote was a pretty shameless attempt to use the public sector to try and make a political point and wreck the Queen’s Speech.

"The notion that it was a genuine attempt to improve the position for the public sector (PS) simply didn’t stack up.

"It made little distinction between different elements of the PS meaning that CEO’s and council staff on salaries of £120k plus would have got rises which I would argue could not be justified.

"Much better in my view to try and find a way to steer resource to those in the sector on lower pay which is what I will be doing between now and the budget in a few months’ time.

"So, I have no problem recognising the need to continually look at pay levels and caps, as we should, but trying to make sure that they apply in the right way, which is fair on employees and on the tax payer.

"Corbyn’s amendment would have failed to achieve that and would have cost a fortune in the process.  Equally I think the idea of using this sensitive issue for nakedly political purposes is reprehensible and I am happy to have played my part in rejecting it."    

However, Marc Tierney, who stood for Labour in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, at the recent election, said: "Labour's amendment was simple: It is time that the hard work of our public sector workers was recognised -not continually punished with demoralising below inflation rises.

"It is hugely disappointing that Pembrokeshire's two Conservative MPs have voted against this amendment - particularly given the public comments of Stephen Crabb this week where he has indicated that the public sector pay cap needs to be re-examined.

"Austerity and toeing the party line has come yet again before constituents' needs."