What’s behind No. 10’s strikes strategy?

The winter of discontent continues as nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland embark on a second day of strike action, with the threat of more to follow in the new year if an agreement can’t be found on pay. Adding to the government’s problems, tomorrow ambulance workers are set to walk out.

While it’s the practical ramifications of the ambulance strike that worries senior figures in government the most, it’s all adding up to a big political headache for Rishi Sunak. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Sunak has insisted he won’t give in to pay demands – arguing it would be damaging to the economy and therefore the wrong thing to do: ‘I’m going to do what I think is right for the long-term interests of the country – combating inflation.’ Instead, he has hinted that if the strikes are called off there could be a more generous pay offer next year.