Junior Doctors Plan Festive Strike: PM Says It’s “Wrong”
In a blurb that almost sounds like a headline from a comic strip, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took the podium in the House of Commons on Wednesday to smack down the idea of a junior‑doctor walk‑out during the holiday season. According to the PM, the planned strikes over Christmas are simply wrong.
What’s Happening?
- Tuesday, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced talks with the government had fizzled out.
- The BMA’s junior doctors committee (with a unanimous vote) has green‑lit industrial action for December and January 2024.
- Doctors will walk off the job on 20 Dec, 23 Dec, 3 Jan and 9 Jan, starting at 7 am each day.
- That totals six days of strikes in January—an all‑time NHS record according to the BMA.
Pay to the Rescue?
Junior doctors were offered a flat 3 % pay rise on top of a recent average of 8.8 % “red‑orange” raise from the summer. But the BMA says the 3 % boost is unevenly spread across grades, meaning many doctors are still pay‑cutting after a decade of wage stagnation.
What the Prime Minister Says
- Sunak claims every other part of the public sector has settled their disputes.
- He cites an independent recommendation of a 9 % rise—“the highest increase across the entire public sector.”
- He says “the government has gone beyond that” but doctors still choose to walk.
- He promises “minimum service levels” to keep patient care safe if strikes go ahead.
- He calls on the Labour Party to step up and condemn the strikes.
Doctors Weigh In
Co‑chairmen Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi laid out their frustrations:
- “We needed to move quickly, and if the offer wasn’t credible, we’d be forced into action.”
- “We were offered an extra 3 %—but it keeps many doctors on a pay‑cut.”
- “It’s a shame we can’t settle the dispute without more than a token increase.”
- “We’re ready to talk at any time; a credible offer can cancel the strikes.”
In short, the doctors point out that real‑terms pay cuts have been lingering since 2008, and the current offer feels like a slap on a bruised cheek.
All hearts on the line
The NHS faces longer waiting lists, and hospital leaders are worried that a strike “could threaten public safety” and slow down treatments. The PM’s “minimum service legislation” attempts to guard the public but it remains a question: will the strike actually happen? The countdown to the 20 Dec walk‑out has begun—time to see if the PM’s promise will hold up.
