PMQs - live: Sunak accused of playing games with people’s health as nurses’ strike looms
Prime minister and Labour leader square up in new Commons clash
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Your support makes all the difference.Rishi Sunak has been accused of “playing games with people’s health” as nurses prepare to go on strike tomorrow.
In the last Prime Minister’s Questions before Christmas, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the historic strike is “a badge of shame for this government”.
He said: “Instead of showing leadership, he is playing games with people’s health and there is a human cost.
“Alex from Chester has been waiting for a gallbladder operation for nearly six months, he is in so much pain he has been off school since then. His operation has already been cancelled twice. His mum, who I spoke to this morning, is worried sick, when she heard that strikes could be called off she was massively relieved.”
“All he needs to do is simply meet the nurses,” Sir Keir added.
Mr Sunak replied: “Now the honourable gentleman says to get round the table, but we all know what that means, that is just simply a political formula for avoiding taking a position on this issue.”
Nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to begin strike action tomorrow in a row over pay after talks with the government broke down.
It comes as rail workers yesterday began their first 48-hour strike and Royal Mail staff started a national walkout on Wednesday, their third of six days in the run-up to Christmas.
‘Curled up in a ball'
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Prime Minister "has curled up in a ball and gone into hibernation" while "winter has arrived for our public services".
Sir Keir said Rishi Sunak was "pretending everything is fine", adding: "Try telling that to those on waiting lists or those that can’t afford to pay for a next-day GP appointment.
"After 12 years of Tory failure, winter has arrived for our public services, and we’ve got a Prime Minister who has curled up in a ball and gone into hibernation.
"If he can’t act on behalf of patients or nurses, or everyone who wants these strikes called off, then surely the whole country’s entitled to ask what is the point of him and what is the point of the Government he is supposed to be leading?"
Rishi Sunak said: "He talks about Covid not having the impact - ambulance waiting times for category one... in February 2020 were actually completely on target. Covid has had an impact.
"That’s why, as the chief executive of the NHS has acknowledged, this Government is serious about its commitment to prioritise the NHS."
He said the NHS in Wales has the "worst A&E times in the country" under Labour.
Watch the comments here:
Starmer and Sunak united on Ukraine
Both Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Prime Minister expressed unity over solidarity with Ukraine to end their final encounter of the year at Prime Minister’s Questions.
Sir Keir said: "Under the last Labour government we had fair pay for nurses and no strikes. So, I won’t be taking lectures from him about that."
But referencing it was the last PMQs of the year, he said: "I want to finish this year thinking about our friends in Ukraine. As a result of Putin’s barbaric assault on their freedom, millions will spend Christmas in sub-zero temperatures without heating, electricity or hot water.
"Their suffering is unimaginable, but their bravery is awe-inspiring. So, will the Prime Minister join me in saying that whatever other difficulties and disagreements we have across this despatch box, we are and will remain united in our unwavering support for Ukraine’s freedom, its liberty and its victory."
Rishi Sunak said: "I appreciate his comments on Ukraine. It has been a point of incredible unity across this House, and indeed the country, something that we can all be proud of in our country that we have stood behind Ukraine at its hour of need.
"This Christmas many families will be laying an extra place at their Christmas table and that speaks to the generosity and compassion of our nation, and long may that continue."
SNP MP says Sunak should ‘follow Scottish government’s lead’ on strikes
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called on the prime minister to “see the error of his ways and follow the Scottish government’s lead” on dealing with public-sector strikes.
He told MPs: "Thanks to positive and proactive negotiations between the Scottish government and Unite and Unison health unions, a pay settlement has been reached and strike action averted.
"By stark contrast, the health secretary appears completely unwilling to negotiate with unions on pay and strike action is very much still on the table. So, may I ask the prime minister, when will he see the error of his ways and follow the Scottish government’s lead?"
Sunak replied: "I’m glad the UK government was able to provide £1.5 billion in extra funding to the Scottish government for public services.
"The health secretary and other ministers have engaged fully, not just with the unions but with an independent pay-setting process which takes the politics out of the process and ensures that we can meet those independent requirements with a fair pay deal."
Keir Starmer accuses Rishi Sunak of being ‘too weak’ to stand up to non-doms
As we reported from PMQs earlier, Starmer accused Sunak of being “too weak” to stand up to tax avoiders.
He said Labour would scrap non-dom status to put more money into the NHS.
Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin has the full story:
Keir Starmer accuses Rishi Sunak of being ‘too weak’ to stand up to non-doms
Labour leader also claims the government is ‘playing games’ with people’s health ahead of nurses’ strike
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