Johnson welcomes uplift in key public sector jobs

The Prime Minister has reaffirmed his commitment to boost the numbers of teachers, police officers, nurses and other public sector workers as part of the government’s drive to build back better in 2021.

Boris Johnson said that he will make continuing to recruit the brightest and best into frontline public sector roles a priority in 2021, after 2020 saw the number of nurses grow by more than 13,000, police officers by 6,000, and teachers by 41,000.

The government says that campaigns to hire more NHS staff, teachers, prison officers will be ramped up throughout the year, with ministers ready to redouble efforts to fill frontline roles to further support public services.

Johnson said: “We have the very best public servants and I feel an enormous sense of admiration when I think about the care, fortitude and determination with which our doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers and prison workers have faced up to the challenges of the pandemic.

“There is light at the end of the Covid tunnel - the vaccine provides increasing hope of returning to normality by Easter and I am determined that we build back better from the pandemic and take advantage of the opportunities that are ahead. My commitment to recruit more teachers, nurses, police officers and other frontline workers is unwavering. We have made good progress this year, but 2021 will be a year of growth and renewal – and having the very best frontline workers will be a critical part of that.”