Rutland's Police and Crime Commissioner Lord Willy Bach has slammed a move by the Chancellor to freeze the pay of police and many other public sector workers.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the move today as part of a review of public finances and the wider economy which have been hit by the pandemic and its related lockdown.

The chancellor told parliament: "In the six months to September, private sector wages fell by nearly one per cent compared to last year.

"Over the same period public sector wages rose by nearly four per cent and unlike workers in the private sector who have lost jobs, been furloughed, seen wages cut and hours reduced, the public sector has not.

"In such a difficult context for the private sector, especially for those people working in sectors like retail, hospitality and leisure, I cannot justify a significant across the board pay increase for all public sector workers.

"Instead, we are targeting our resources at those who need it most. To protect public sector jobs at this time of crisis and ensure fairness between the public and private sectors, I am taking three steps today.

He said: "First, taking account of the pay review bodies' advice we will provide a pay rise to over a million nurses, doctors and others working in the NHS.

"Second, to protect jobs pay rises in the rest of the public sector will be paused next year.

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"But third, we will protect those on lower incomes. The 2.1 million public sector workers who earn below the median wage of £24,000 will be guaranteed a payrise of at least £250."

However. Lord Bach has issued a statement responding: "The Chancellor's pay freeze, or pause as he delicately describes it, is extremely unfair on those public service workers who have risked their own health and wellbeing to work throughout the pandemic. Their lives have been adversely affected by this virus and the necessary response.

"But I really feel strongly that it is particularly inappropriate to penalise the police officers and police staff who have had an enormous responsibility to 'police' the pandemic with regulations, guidance and legislation that has been unclear at best, absurd at worst and in some cases completely absent."