EARLY years workers need £15 an hour, the TUC said today after campaigners warned the government’s £6.5 million-backed recruitment campaign for more staff is just “drop in the ocean.”

Labour said that the Tories had offered a “childcare pledge without a plan” after the Department for Education announced £1,000 bungs to new childcare staff just two months before it rolls out 15 hours of free childcare for working parents of two-year-olds.

The plans come under the Do Something Big trial taking place in 20 local authorities in England from April.