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Listen: English doctors won’t accept a Scottish pay rise

(Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

Dear oh dear. Those pesky junior doctors strike again — literally. The fifth round of industrial action started this morning and will last until 7am on Tuesday. Junior doctors in England are demanding full pay restoration of 35 per cent – which they say accounts for a 26 per cent real terms pay cut plus inflation. 

The co-leader of the BMA junior doctors committee appeared on the Today programme this morning to defend the strikes – and his frustration came over loud and clear on the airwaves. The only people who are perhaps more frustrated, Mr S muses, are the poor patients unable to see their doctors because they’re all on the picket line…

On the show, Dr Rob Laurenson slated the UK government for arranging ‘pointless’ and ‘irrelevant’ meetings about ‘non-pay related issues’. He then turned on them for playing ‘ideological’ games with the BMA.

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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