Resident doctors begin longest strike yet as Streeting accuses BMA of hypocrisy over pay – UK politics live

The UK healthcare system is once again at the center of a political storm as resident doctors launch their longest strike to date, intensifying a dispute that has been simmering for years. The standoff between the government and the British Medical Association (BMA) has escalated dramatically, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting accusing the union of "hypocrisy" over its stance on pay.
Latest News: Resident Doctors Begin Longest Strike As of 7 April 2026, resident doctors in England have begun a six-day strike, marking the longest continuous industrial action in this ongoing dispute.
This strike is not an isolated event—it is the 15th round of industrial action since 2023, highlighting the deep-rooted tensions between healthcare professionals and the government.
Key facts: Strike duration: 6 days (April 7–13, 2026) Number of strikes since 2023: 15+ Estimated NHS cost so far: £3 billion Daily cost of strike: ~£50 million per day The strike is expected to disrupt thousands of appointments, operations, and NHS services across England.
Why Are Resident Doctors Striking? To understand the scale of this crisis, it’s essential to look at the core issue: pay and working conditions.
1. Pay Erosion and Restoration Demands Resident doctors—formerly known as "junior doctors"—have argued that their pay has declined significantly in real terms since 2008 due to inflation and below-inflation pay rises.
The BMA is demanding:
A 26% pay increase to restore wages to 2008 levels Meanwhile, the government claims it has already offered:
Around 4.9% pay rise this year Up to 35% cumulative increase since 2020 This fundamental disagreement over what constitutes "fair pay" lies at the heart of the dispute.
2. Workforce Pressures and Training Concerns Beyond pay, doctors are concerned about:
Staffing shortages Long working hours Career progression bottlenecks The government had proposed 4,500 new training posts, but 1,000 of these have now been withdrawn due to the ongoing strike.
This has further inflamed tensions, as many doctors see it as:
A threat to future NHS staffing A blow to career progression 3. Breakdown of Negotiations Negotiations between the government and the BMA have repeatedly collapsed.
According to reports:
The BMA rejected a "final" pay and workforce deal The government insists the offer is financially unsustainable to expand ukbreakingnews24x7 further This deadlock has resulted in escalating strike action rather than compromise.
Wes Streeting Accuses BMA of "Hypocrisy" One of the most controversial aspects of this latest dispute is the accusation of hypocrisy leveled by Wes Streeting.
What Did Streeting Say? Streeting criticized the BMA for:
Demanding large pay rises for doctors While offering only 2.75% pay increases to its own staff He argued this contradiction undermines the union’s position, stating that:
Full pay restoration would cost £3 billion annually Extending similar increases across NHS staff could cost £30 billion BMA’s Response The BMA has defended its stance, arguing:
Its internal staffing decisions are separate from NHS pay negotiations Doctors’ pay erosion is a long-term structural issue The government changed terms at the last minute This exchange has turned the dispute into not just an economic issue—but a political and moral argument.