Andy Burnham has directed Labour MPs to adhere to the government's new policy requiring salaries to be listed on job advertisements, despite an emerging internal party issue. The policy, recently announced by the Prime Minister, has drawn criticism as it was revealed that at least 13 Labour backbenchers are currently advertising positions without specifying the offered salary.
Speaking to the BBC, Mr. Burnham emphasized that the new rule will "apply completely" to MPs and urged businesses and the wider public to voluntarily adopt the practice ahead of its legal enforcement. "The time has come, I think, to change recruitment," Burnham stated. He suggested that the lack of salary information in job ads can be "soul-destroying for young people" and that the new law aims to "tilt the scales back towards the applicant that little bit more."
According to the parliamentary jobs website W4MPjobs.org, among the listings not specifying salary is a role for a parliamentary assistant for former Cabinet minister Liz Kendall, which states pay will be "in line with [the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority]" salary bands. East Thanet MP Polly Billington is reportedly advertising three distinct roles without disclosing their pay.
The government's initiative aims to promote more equal pay, particularly for young people and women, by making salary information readily available. However, the Conservative party has criticized the policy, with Shadow Business Secretary Julia Lopez stating that it adds further difficulty for employers. Lopez argued that businesses should have the discretion to decide what information to provide in job postings, as long as it is not dishonest, misleading, or discriminatory, and urged Labour to address the underlying causes of youth unemployment.
In response to a question about the government's handling of the welfare bill, Mr. Burnham suggested that initial spending might increase to provide support for young people to move off benefits, adding that any reduction in the welfare bill must be achieved in a "sustainable" manner.