News Beat
Stockton MP urges doctors to ‘ignore’ strike orders
Conservative MP Matt Vickers has argued striking doctors are holding the public “to ransom” as they prepare to stage a five day walkout from Wednesday (December 17).
The strikes are expected to see up to half of the medical workforce in England walk out for what will be the 14th resident doctor strike since 2023 and patients have been warned to expect long delays.
Hopes that the strike could be averted at the last minute were dashed on Monday (December 15) when members of the British Medical Association (BMA) rejected a fresh offer from the Government.
In the last three years, doctors have had a 28.9 per cent pay rise across three years – but the BMA argue this a real term pay cut since 2008 and are seeking restoration.
But this is a move which has been slammed by politicians including Vickers who has raised concerns of the impact on patients amid warnings of a “super flu” sweeping the nation.
The Stockton West MP said: “I know people will be very concerned about these strikes so close to Christmas, and at a time when flu cases are rising.
“Doctors should see sense, ignore the order to strike from their union, and go to work to make sure the NHS is there for those who need it.”
He added: “Resident doctors have already received a huge 29 per cent pay rise from this Labour government – there is simply no good reason for them to be back out on strike.
“Labour even promised this pay rise – paid for by hardworking taxpayers – would end the strikes, but now we have more strikes just before Christmas.
“Most people will never receive a 29 per cent pay rise, and it is simply unacceptable for doctors to hold the public to ransom in this way.
“We should ban doctors from striking, just like is the case for other key public services. The previous government was right to introduce minimum service level requirements to protect patients and ensure basic services continued.
“One of Labour’s first acts in office was to scrap those protections, paving the way for these strikes and putting ideology ahead of patient safety.”
Reacting to the strikes, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has accused the BMA of “shocking disregard for patient safety” – adding that choosing Christmas to strike will “inflict damage on the NHS at the moment of maximum danger”.
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In the Commons, Streeting also called for “ordinary resident doctors to ignore the BMA strike and go to work this week”.
He added: “The BMA said this dispute was about pay, but we gave them a 28.9 per cent pay rise.
“Then they said it was also about jobs, so I offered a deal to halve the competition for jobs to less than two applicants per post.
“It is now clear what these strikes are really about. The BMA fantasy demand for another 26 per cent pay rise on top of the 28.9 per cent they have already received.”
