CABINET minister George Eustice stressed there is a “difficult public finance environment” after Dua Lipa used her Brit Awards acceptance speech to call for an NHS pay rise for staff in England.

Lipa was the big winner at the female-dominated Brit Awards, which marked the return of live music to the O2 Arena after more than a year.

She won both best female solo artist and the best album award, using her first speech to call for a pay rise for NHS workers and her second to demand a posthumous bravery award for 20-year-old Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole, who recently died after jumping into the River Thames to save a woman.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon urges NHS focus from voters at Holyrood election

Environment Secretary Eustice told BBC Breakfast: “There’s been a pay rise, it was announced. There’s been a pay freeze for most of the public sector and it’s also important to recognise that in recent years that there have been some pay rises as well, particularly for nurses and the lower paid.

The National:

“We know that it is a difficult public finance environment as well, so we can’t always go as far as you’d like but it’s also the case that there’s also a pay review that’s going on into the NHS.”

The Scottish Government put forward a 4% wage increase – but a majority of GMB members voted to turn down the offer.

GMB Scotland secretary Gary Smith said members had sent a “clear message” to the Scottish Government – that “we’re worth more”.

Last night's Brit Awards featured an audience of 4000 people and took place as part of the UK Government’s live events pilot scheme. Some 2500 tickets were gifted to key workers from the Greater London area, many of whom wore blue.

The National:

People in the crowd during the Brit Awards 2021 at the O2 Arena, London

During her acceptance speech as she picked up the female solo artist gong, Lipa said: “It’s very good to clap for them, but we need to pay them.

“I think what we should do is we should all give a massive, massive round of applause and give Boris [Johnson] a message that we all support a fair pay rise for our front line.”

Little Mix, Arlo Parks, US rockers Haim and Billie Eilish were also among the acts who took home gongs at the London venue last night.

The trio of Little Mix – Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards- made history as the first female group to win the best British group prize.

Taylor Swift, who appeared in person, was presented with the global icon award, the first woman to be awarded the prize, and delivered a speech to the budding artists in the room.

The National:

Dua Lipa posing in the media room with the Mastercard Album award for Future Nostalgia and the Female Solo Artist award

Rapper Headie One delivered the biggest performance of the night with a rendition of his hit Ain’t It Different alongside fellow Brit nominee AJ Tracey, including a new verse taking aim at the UK Government over free school meals and challenging the negative public perception of drill music.

Host Jack Whitehall kicked off the event with a sketch featuring Line Of Duty stars Vicky McClure and Martin Compston, as well as social media sensation Jackie Weaver, who went viral with her contributions to a parish council meeting.

The night also featured performances from Rag’n’Bone Man and P!nk with the Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir, viral sea shanty sensation Nathan Evans, from Airdrie, and rising star award winner Griff.

Audience members attending the indoor ceremony were not socially distanced or required to wear face coverings once seated.

However, they needed proof of a negative lateral flow test result to enter the venue and will be required to provide details for test and trace.