As widely predicted, this week has seen the resignation of Keir Starmer. It’s the sixth change of a Prime Minister in the last 10 years, with only one of these being the direct result of a General Election.
Members will be well aware (if not already bored) of the Political merry-go-round and media circus that follows such changes, but Napo has already made it clear to senior HMPPS leaders that the lead in period for Keir Starmer’s successor must not interfere with our efforts to secure a pay claim for 2026-2027 by the 1st September.
As has been made very clear by way of the ‘No Confidence in HMPPS’ motion that we have previously reported on, it’s the timetable for our members which drives our campaigns on pay and workloads, and which you will see more details about shortly. Whether there is a leadership contest within the Labour Party to find a new PM or a ‘Coronation’, makes no difference whatsoever to the issues being faced by our members as you try to make ends meet against the high cost of living, cope with intolerable workload pressures and the associated stress, and face rising levels of violence and aggression.
We stand ready to continue our engagement on pay and workloads over the summer with the employer, but as you would expect, we won’t be accepting excuses about delays to that process being caused by the debate about who is to be the next Prime Minister.
