London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Freezing week of strikes threaten Sunak's sober approach

Freezing week of strikes threaten Sunak's sober approach

The advent calendar of strikes is unremitting.

From health workers in Northern Ireland on Monday, to strikes involving nurses, posties, baggage handlers, bus drivers, road workers, driving test examiners and rail workers will happen between now and the weekend, as the nation gears up towards Christmas.

And with the cold weather and the pressure on purses caused by the cost-of-living crisis, events are now colliding with the new-ish government.

Later this week, Rishi Sunak will overtake Liz Truss in prime ministerial miles on the clock.

Wednesday will be his 51st day in office. Liz Truss managed 50.

And what a contrast between this autumn's two prime ministers.

The Truss administration was like a firework display, where every rocket, banger and Catherine Wheel went off at once.

By contrast, Mr Sunak has tried to make a virtue of a government with barely a sparkler between them.

There has been a quiet seriousness, and a determination to avoid going out of their way to pick fights, particularly with their own side.

I am told they have been preparing for this wave of strikes since day one in office, back in late October.

Now, while they still hope to resolve the disputes, it appears ministers are in mitigation mode.

The government's emergency response committee, known as COBR, is meeting today and will do again on Wednesday.

Further such meetings will follow.

Over the weekend, the Department of Health put in what is known as a MACA request in the Whitehall jargon - Military Assistance for the Civil Authorities.

My understanding is several hundred military personnel will be recruited as ambulance drivers.

They will have a five day training course, but I'm told this won't involve practicing driving with the blue lights flashing on the open road.

When they do do that, during a strike, they will be accompanied by non striking NHS staff.

It is expected that members of the military will wear their normal uniforms when they are filling in for strikers.

The Army is providing 85% of the military support, but all of the armed services are involved.

It is perhaps this week that the full scale of the consequences of this industrial action will start to become clear.

Where significant chunks of both the services we rely on daily, and those we hope are always there if we need them, are not - or at least not as they usually are.

For some an inconvenience. For others, potentially dangerous. And politically important too.

Where this leaves the government, the trades unions and public opinion could yet shape how long these disputes rumble on for.


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×