Starmer Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum to Doctors on Strike

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the British Medical Association's resident doctors committee, demanding it call off a planned six-day strike set to begin on April 7 or forfeit thousands of additional National Health Service training positions. The action, scheduled from April 7 to 13 in England immediately after the Easter bank holiday weekend, would mark the 15th round of industrial action by resident doctors since 2023 amid an ongoing pay dispute.

The ultimatum comes after the committee rejected a government pay offer last week without putting it to a member vote. The proposed deal included a pay rise of up to 7.1 percent for this year, bringing total increases over the past three years to 35 percent. It also featured reforms to accelerate pay progression through five bands, reimbursement for Royal College exam costs, and the creation of at least 4,000 to 4,500 new specialty training posts over three years, with 1,000 applications set to open this month. Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that these posts would be withdrawn if the strike proceeds, emphasizing, "There is not a something for nothing culture here."