Keir Starmer has accused resident doctors of acting “recklessly” by rejecting a government pay deal without putting it to a vote, as tensions rise ahead of planned strike action.
The Prime Minister has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the resident doctors’ committee of the British Medical Association (BMA), urging them to reconsider an offer of a 35% pay rise over three years.
“The truth is this: no one benefits from rejecting this deal,” Sir Keir stated, warning that doctors, the NHS, and patients would all be “worse off” if the agreement were to collapse.
In an article for The Times, he added that proceeding without consulting union members made the decision “even worse.”
Resident doctors in England are set to stage a six-day strike starting on April 7, a move that NHS leaders say will be particularly disruptive, as it coincides with the Easter holiday period.
This dispute has also placed additional pressure on NHS England, with its chief executive, Jim Mackey, warning that a key element of the deal—up to 4,000 additional speciality training posts—would be withdrawn if an agreement is not reached.
“That is the part that would have to come off the table,” he noted, referencing the financial strain caused by industrial action, including the cost of covering shifts and maintaining services. Each round of strikes is estimated to cost the NHS £250 million, further slowing progress on waiting lists and increasing pressure on staff.
However, the BMA has rejected the Government’s portrayal of events, accusing ministers of altering the deal at the last minute. Dr. Jack Fletcher stated, “The Government made very late changes to the pay offer, reducing the pay investment and extending it over a longer period in a way that had not been previously discussed. Ministers effectively moved the goalposts.”
He insisted that the union remains open to talks, adding that discussions are expected to continue with “every intention of achieving a meaningful outcome that could see the strikes called off.”
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