Nurses strike: NHS staff march on No 10 as Starmer hits out at Tories’ ‘lethal chaos’
Nurses call further walkouts for next month alongside ambulance workers
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Striking nurses are marching with supporters to Downing Street as further mass walkouts of NHS were announced for the coming weeks.
In a message to the prime minister, nursing leaders said: "If you want to continue to have strikes ... that's exactly what you will get."
Nurses and ambulance workers are set to strike on the same day next month as the pay dispute with the government shows no signs of reaching a resolution.
The escalation comes as thousands of nurses walkout today and tomorrow at more than 55 NHS trusts in England.
Earlier, Steve Barclay, the health secretary, claimed that patients would pay the price if nurses got a pay hike.
Writing exclusively forThe Independent, Mr Barclay said any boost to wages would “take billions of pounds away from where we need it most”.
He wrote: “Unaffordable pay hikes will mean cutting patient care and stoking the inflation that would make us all poorer.”
‘Political games'
Of course Stephanie’s case is a “tragedy”, PM says.
He accuses Starmer of playing “political games”...the Labour leader is a “living example” of a political game player, he adds.
Sunak asks Starmer if he’s confident there aren’t similar cases in Wales.
‘This isn’t hypothetical...this is real life'
Starmer refers to the chest pains patient again, saying “this isn’t hypothetical...this is real life.”
He cites the real-life case of a woman named Stephanie, 26, from Plymouth who collapsed at home while battling cancer.
He said the woman’s mother rang 999 “desperate for help”.
She died waiting for the ambulance, Starmer says. Starmer adds, on behalf of Stephanies’s family, “will he stop the excuses”.
Rishi Sunak government has inflicted ‘lethal chaos’ on NHS, says Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has called on Rishi Sunak to apologise for the “lethal chaos” inflicted on the NHS under the Conservative government.
The Labour leader used a feisty exchange at PMQs to accuse the prime minister of seeking to “blame others” for record waiting times for ambulances, emergency and elective care.
Our politics correspondent Adam Forrest reports:
Rishi Sunak government has inflicted ‘lethal chaos’ on NHS, says Keir Starmer
‘When will he stop the excuses?’ askes Labour leader who highlights ambulance delays
‘Union paymasters'
Sunak responds by saying that the extra money the government is putting into the NHS will improve ambulance response times, waiting lists and care.
PM says that Starmer’s opposition to anti-strike bill shows he’s not “putting patients first”.
He then claims that Starmer won’t support it because he is in “the pocket of his union paymasters”.
Starmer: he won’t take any responsibility
Sunak asks Starmer for a third time why he won’t support anti-strike bill.
Starmer responds by again pointing out that Sunak didn’t answer his question on waiting times, adding the PM “won’t take any responsibility”.
Labour leader asks PM how he feels knowing that some patients who call 999 with chest pains could wait hours for an ambulance.
‘Unprecedented challenges'
Sunak hits back by drawing attention to the NHS in Wales, where Labour is in charge.
He says ambulance response times there are “even worse than they are in England.”
PM adds this is the case not because of politics, but because the entire NHS is under pressure due to the “unprecedented” challenges of Covid and flu season.
‘Chaos'
Starmer says he will answer the question for the PM, adding that it would have taken more than two hours for the ambulance to arrive.
“These are our constituents I’m talking about,” he adds.
Starmer adds: “If he won’t answer any questions, will he at least apologise for the lethal chaos under his watch?”
Sunak: we will improve ambulance wait times
Sunak initially dodges the question again saying that, “because of the extra funding” the government is putting into the NHS... “we will improve” wait times.
Referring again to the anti-strike bill, Sunak says the Labour leader is “making my case for me” and asks again why he won’t support the legislation.
He says it is common in most other European countries.
‘The clock is ticking'
Starmer says the PM can “deflect all he likes” but the “clock has started ticking” for the person suffering with chest pains.
“Every minute counts,” he adds.
Labour leader notes that ambulances should respond within 18 minutes.
Starmer asks the question again.
Sunak: we’re working on improving ambulance response times
Starmer uses his first question to tackle Sunak on strikes and NHS waiting times.
He asks the PM when he would expect an ambulance to respond if someone called 999 now complaining of chest pains.
Sunak responds saying it is “right” that people can rely on emergency services when they need them.
He adds the government is working to improve response times.
He asks Starmer why he won’t support minimum service legislation.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments