London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, May 11, 2025

Rishi Sunak refusing to budge on pay as strike action escalates

Rishi Sunak refusing to budge on pay as strike action escalates

Rishi Sunak has insisted he will not back down against striking workers, as nurses walked out in England, Northern Ireland and Wales for a second day.

Nurses' union boss Pat Cullen has urged the prime minister to resolve the crisis before Christmas.

But there is no sign of a breakthrough between the sides.

Speaking to MPs, Mr Sunak argued the best way to help workers would be to reduce inflation as quickly as possible.

The UK is facing its biggest week of industrial strikes in recent history in the run up to Christmas, with ambulance workers, customs and immigration staff, bus drivers and postal workers all staging walk outs.

The armed forces have been drafted in to cover some jobs - but concern is growing about Wednesday's ambulance drivers strike in England and Wales, with a health minister warning people to avoid "risky activity".

Head of the NHS confederation, and a former Labour adviser, Matthew Taylor has warned that hospital leaders cannot guarantee patient safety during the strikes.

In a letter to Mr Sunak, he said: "It is clear that we have entered dangerous territory and we hope this warning from NHS leaders should serve to focus minds in government and in the unions that a swift resolution to this damaging dispute is needed."

Mr Sunak is facing calls to reopen talks on nurses' pay and deal with the growing wave of strikes across the public services.

Conservative backbencher Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said that both sides "need to get round the table and see what can be done."

But addressing the Liaison Committee of senior MPs Mr Sunak said: "I've acknowledged it is difficult for everybody, because inflation is where it is.

"The best way to help them and help everyone else in the country is for us to get a grip and reduce inflation as quickly as possible."

He said sticking to the wage levels set by the pay review boards earlier this year was an important part of tackling high inflation.

Despite the prime minister's insistence that he is holding firm, some Conservative MPs have said he will need to budge on nurses' pay.

So far only a handful have said so publicly, but others have expressed concern in private conversations with the BBC.

One former minister said the government would have to shift eventually and come up with more money,

Another suggested ministers should consider offering a slightly increased offer, albeit still well below the 19% being called for, or a one-off payment to help with rising prices.

A third senior Conservative added: "I'd be surprised if the pay offer as is on the table wins - unless they are prepared to carry this on for six months."

However, even behind the scenes, government officials do not want to get into details about possible compromises.

And some Tory MPs are urging the PM to maintain his stance, fearing any concessions would encourage future strikes.

"Give in to one group then the whole lot will cascade around him," said one former minister.

Earlier, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said she was "truly sorry" for every patient who would have their care disrupted.

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Ms Cullen said she would negotiate with the government, saying "we won't dig in if they don't dig in."

"But we have no opportunity to do that because we can't get to a table to talk to government."

She has warned that if the government isn't "prepared to do the right thing" her union would have "no choice" but to continue striking in January.

The Royal College of Nursing has called for a 19% pay rise (5% above the RPI inflation rate) but the government has said this is unaffordable.

Ambulance staff - who are set to walk out on Wednesday - also want above-inflation pay rises, but have not set a specific figure.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay met unions ahead of the strike on Tuesday afternoon, however Unite representative Onay Kasab described the meeting as "entirely pointless" because Mr Barclay had refused to discuss pay.

Following the meeting, Mr Barclay said the pay demands were "unaffordable" but added that he was open to "engaging with unions on how to make the NHS a better place to work".


WATCH: Rishi Sunak is asked to give a personal message to NHS workers and others taking strike action

WATCH: Ambulance staff are tired of waiting outside hospitals with patients, says GMB


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump's Upcoming Visit to Gulf Nations: Investment and Security at the Forefront
Rodrigo Duterte Awaits Trial at The Hague. Next week he might be elected mayor of his hometown
Trump fires director of U.S. Copyright Office, sources say
Retired British police officer arrested over ‘thought crime’ tweet
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at ICE Facility Amid Congressional Visit
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
×