Keir Starmer skewered over physician strikes in savage assault | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer insisted that strikes by junior docs this week are “irresponsible” as he confronted a grilling by MPs. Tory MP Simon Hoare put it to the Prime Minister that the most recent walkouts have been “not actually surprising” after the Government signed off an enormous pay rise final 12 months to finish earlier motion.

It comes as resident docs in England will maintain a five-day strike from Wednesday after members of the British Medical Association (BMA) rejected a brand new supply from the Government. During his look earlier than the Liaison Committee, Mr Hoare requested Sir Keir: “On a scale of one to 10, how gutted are you about the BMA’s latest strike action vote?”

The PM replied: “Very gutted.”

The senior Conservative MP pressed: “Is that 10 out of 10?”

Sir Keir stated: “Ten out of 10. It’s irresponsible at any time particular at the moment.

“It comes on the again of a really substantial pay improve final 12 months. There’s a deal we placed on the desk that might have been taken ahead and so I believe it is irresponsible motion by the BMA and never for the primary time.”

Mr Hoare then asked: “It could also be irresponsible and I agree with you on that nevertheless it’s not really stunning is it?

“You’ve pointed to the massive pay rise last year for which there were no productivity improvements linked at all.

“The BMA may very well be accused however with some justification of considering they have the Government over a barrel and you’ll finally cough and signal the cheque in the event that they shout sufficient?”

Sir Keir added: “Well that is not going to occur. We’ve been actually clear about that and it hasn’t occurred. In phrases of productiveness, not withstanding the motion of the BMA, when it comes to ready instances and ready lists we have introduced them down.

“We said we’d do two million extra appointments in the first year of a Labour Government, we’ve done five million. And that’s thanks to the NHS staff.

“So even within the tooth of the BMA motion we’re engaged on productiveness and on target. Their motion now places that in jeopardy at a time of horrible flu simply earlier than Christmas.”