Badenoch: Tories will ban doctor strikes
The Tory leader said any future Conservative government would amend the law to bar doctors – but not nurses – from mounting strikes. She urged Sir Keir Starmer to take similar action.
Ms Badenoch said the British Medical Association (BMA), the doctors' 'union', is 'out of control' with 11 strikes in the past 18 months. She claimed these had resulted in patients dying.
Her comments, on Camilla Tominey's GB News programme, come amid a five-day series of strikes by resident doctors in support of a pay claim despite having secured a 28 per cent rise from the Labour Government.
Doctors hold lives in their hands. No one should lose critical healthcare because of strikes but that's what's happening now.
That's why a Conservative government led by me would ban doctors' strikes, just like we do the army and police.
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) July 27, 2025
The Tory leader said: 'The BMA has become militant, these strikes are going too far, and it is time for action.
'Doctors do incredibly important work. Medicine is a vocation – not just a job. That is why in government we offered a fair deal that supported doctors, but protected taxpayers too.
'These strikes will have a significant economic effect, but they will also mean cancelled operations, worry for families of the sick, and suffering for those who are unwell. We know that previous strike action by doctors even led to some patients losing their lives.
'That is why Conservatives are stepping in, and setting out common sense proposals to protect patients, and the public finances. And we are making an offer in the national interest – we will work with the Government to face down the BMA to help protect patients and the NHS.'
Police, the military and prison officers are banned from taking strike action under the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act. The Tories would amend this to include doctors.
Doctors would still be able to unionise, through the BMA, like the police which has the police federation to represent members' interests. They would also be allowed to take action short of a strike such as working to rule and banning overtime.
The Tories are also proposing that there should be minimum service levels, which would aim to ensure a basic level of service provision in not only healthcare but in other essential sectors such as education, and transport.
The party said the proposed changes would bring the UK in line with other nations such as Australia and Canada – which have much tighter restrictions on doctors striking – and European nations such as Greece, Italy and Portugal, that have minimum service levels laws in place across their health services.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Locals' fury at plan to move asylum seekers into £250,000 flats that they say will bring crime spike and violent protests
Residents whose town could soon have a migrant hotel installed above shops in the middle of the high street fear it will cause 'mayhem' and lead to unrest. The Home Office sparked fury this week after it emerged they were secretly plotting, without consultation with the local council, to relocate 35 asylum seekers to a brand new development in Waterlooville, Hampshire, as part of a wider plan to lower the numbers in hotels and 'disperse' migrants across UK towns and cities. With just days to go until a decision is due to be made and amid a planned protest to block the move, residents have expressed concern at being kept in the dark over major decisions that could shape the future of their town. Pompey fan Steve, 58, who has lived in the area his whole life, told MailOnline: 'I've got a 13-year-old granddaughter, when you're about that age, you want to go out up the high street, but I'd be worried now. 'There's no criminal history checks on these people. It's easy to get swept up in that aspect, but it's not just that, I think it will attract trouble for us as well as the migrants. 'With the planned protests, I don't want people to start smashing things up because that plays into the hands of the Home Office and police who say 'see, there we go, right wing'. 'We have genuine concerns but the narrative can change quickly.' The earmarked development is a newly converted block of 19 flats called Waterloo House. It is owned by Mountley Group whose Director, Hersch Schneck, also owns a migrant hotel in nearby Cosham. At the top of the market, the flats could fetch £250,000 each but falling house prices mean taking them off the market and entering into a deal with Clearsprings, a company which procures accommodation for asylum seekers on behalf of the Home Office, could be a far more profitable move for Mountley Group. That's because the government could offer top of the market fees in order to get migrants into housing. As a result, Mountley Group could enjoy fixed guaranteed rates for several years and not be at risk of market turbulence. As well as private rentals, the Home Office is seeking medium-sized sites such as former student accommodation and old tower blocks to house migrants. The flats are located above a bric a brac store called The Junk Emporium which was once a Peacocks clothing store and before that, a Tesco. A member of staff at the shop, who rent from Mountley Group, told MailOnline how they only found out about the plans over Facebook and revealed the fallout of the row has severely impacted business. She explained: 'Yesterday we probably took around a third less. They [customers] think it's to do with us but it's not, we just rent the shop, they kind of assume we know what is going which we don't. 'We've had lots of phone calls and people coming in asking questions we can't answer. We were always under the impression that the flats above would be sold to commuters and people like that. 'The only thing the owners have told us is that it will not be for 35 single men, it is families. What concerns us is this protest. We have not had any assurances in the event of damage to the shop.' Others in Waterlooville, said to be named by soldiers returning from the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, feel just as left out of the conversation. Sid Conroy, who used to work for Airbus and now spends his time breeding racing pigeons, fears serious repercussions if the hotel gets given the greenlight. The 68-year-old said: 'I'm dead against it, there could be fights and trouble up here. You're going to have problems here, I can tell you that. 'There are people waiting years on housing waiting lists and it just seems like they get a brand new flat just like that? Why can't they look after us first? 'Our government is making us unhappy because of it. People are left behind, they're thinking more of the people coming in now. You get them coming over here, causing mayhem, causing trouble, all they get is a slap on the wrist and don't do it again. This is how I see it.' Jdarno Osborne, a mum whose children have challenging medical needs, says the hotel has left her angry because she has struggled to get stable housing in the past. The 36-year-old, who has lived in the area her whole life, said: 'It's funny how they can quickly house people from out of the country yet our own don't get support. 'I've got six kids, I lived in a two bed flat for thirteen years and yet somebody can come over and get helped straight away. 'My daughter is 15 now, they sometimes come here to hang with their friends. But it is worrying, there are things kicking off elsewhere because you hear of cases of rapes, harassment, stalking. 'We have to deal with this but people don't seem to care.' The row over the proposed hotel has triggered a political fallout which has seen local MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, Suella Braverman, the former Home Secretary, launch a petition to block the hotel going ahead. She said such sites make town centres 'no-go zones for the patriotic, common-sense majority' adding: 'This site, in the centre of our town, is utterly inappropriate for migrant accommodation. It must be stopped.' Her petition has garnered nearly 10,000 signatures. Leader of Labour-run Havant Borough Council, Councillor Phil Munday, said last week how the row came about after Clearsprings, who are procuring the site, sent their consultation to the wrong email address. In a furious public statement, he said he was 'extremely disappointed' that such an important issue was handled so poorly but went on to lambast Ms Braverman for 'headline-grabbing'. He added: 'They also failed to follow up to ensure a response of some kind was registered. These consultation exercises need to be taken seriously. The council have secured a 10-day consultation extension period to consider the plans. A decision is expected on 1st August. 'I look forward to the council providing a response that reflects the concerns of the borough', Mr Munday said. Nikki Woodley and her 14-year-old son Harry said they also have reservations if migrants were to be relocated to the high street. Nikki said: 'The council say the information was sent to the wrong person which I don't know if I agree with or not. But I'm obviously against the hotel. It's the worse place to put it because there are children everywhere here. 'I'm not saying they're going to be all horrible and bad and criminals but if they're illegal we don't know who they are, we've got no idea who they are, they could have PTSD. 'I don't suppose you'll come anyone who is for it.' Harry, who spoke to MailOnline with permission from his mum, said he sometimes hangs out on the high street and while the prospect of groups of young migrant men wouldn't bother him too much he said 'I'd probably feel a bit cautious' and consider socialising elsewhere. Kathleen Kingston, 67, who has lived in the area her whole life said housing people above shops on a high street is plain wrong. She went on: 'I think of the accommodation for locals like housing association, there are more people that need housing.' Patricia Walding, 87, added: 'These hotels are changing our towns, they are costing us a fortune and robbing the taxpayer while our own people are sleeping on the streets, I think it's disgusting.' But not everyone is so against the plans. One lady, an SEN teacher, who did not want to be named, feels local people are unloading unrelated grievances about their lives onto asylum seekers because they are 'an easy target'. The mum said: 'People have got different views, those views are not wanting to house asylum seekers. The views and reasoning behind it are one, very racist, and two, not the right reasons. You hear it a lot, just the chat about migrants. 'I don't believe for one second they care about the money side of things with the migrant criss or the actual safety of other people. 'I understand people are concerned about women and children. I'm concerned about the other side of it, the protests, all these people gathering. They'll say its peaceful but it definitely wont be. 'I've had asylum seekers as students, one of them has just past their level three and I couldn't be more proud. When you actually listen to someone like that and they tell you stories what it is really like to come from somehwere like that, you have no idea, you get to wake up in a warm bed every morning. When you see videos they won't show on the BBC. 'Everytime I share my views, people say it's stupid. But you can't help where you're born.' The Leader of Havant Borough Council, Councillor Phil Munday, said 'I understand we have an instructed duty from the Home Office to house asylum seekers within the borough, however it is important that the council works closely with all concerned to advise on the placement for these vulnerable people. 'I have taken immediate action and personally called The Home Office to request an extension to their consultation in order for us to respond accordingly. This has also been followed up with formal requests in writing from our officers. 'We are extremely disappointed that the company involved with this important consultation, considering the impact it may have on our local community, was not only sent to an incorrect email address, but they also failed to follow up to ensure a response of some kind was registered. These consultation exercises need to be taken seriously. Councillor Phil Munday added 'I also have grave concerns on the impact the recent video posted by MP Suella Braverman will have, and I would urge the community to act responsibly and allow us to address this matter formally in the correct manner. 'As part of my open letter to Suella Braverman MP on this matter I will be reminding her that those who could potentially be accommodated somewhere within our borough, will be supported asylum seekers. 'They are categorically not recognised by the state as illegal immigrants – regardless of the headline-grabbing title of Suella Braverman's petition – and I urge people to consider this in their views and actions.' As of late June 2025, there are approximately 32,000 asylum seekers housed in hotels in the UK. As of July 20, 2025, over 20,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats this year, according to the BBC.
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The first time I tried weight-loss jabs, I made a huge mistake. I got it right in the end - this is what you MUST know about keeping the pounds off with Mounjaro
On paper, I was a success story. In just four months, I'd lost nearly two stone thanks to weight-loss injections, dropping from 72kg (11st 5lb) to 60kg (9st 6lb). But the scales didn't tell the whole truth. I was exhausted, weak and terrified that I would regain every ounce. Looking in the mirror didn't deliver the feeling of triumph it should have, either. My face still looked puffy, and I was even wearing the same size 14 clothes as when I started.
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Anger as role at sharia court advertised on site for Government jobs
Outraged MPs demanded action last night as it emerged that a Government jobs site is advertising a role in a sharia court. They insisted that the British state should not be promoting the separate justice system based on Islamic law. And they urged the Department for Work and Pensions to remove the online posting for the £23,500-a-year administrative role. It comes after an investigation found Britain has become the western capital for sharia courts – with up to 85 operating here, offering religious rulings on marriage and divorce even though they are not legally recognised. Independent MP Rupert Lowe wrote in a letter to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall: 'I am writing to express my absolute alarm and disgust that the Department for Work and Pensions "Find a Job" platform is currently advertising for a "Sharia Law Administrator". 'The requirements include a degree in sharia law and experience in sharia courts in Muslim countries. 'The DWP is promoting and facilitating the embedding of a parallel legal system in the United Kingdom. 'Sharia law has no place operating as a recognised legal framework within our country. It is fundamentally incompatible with British law, and our very way of life.' Mr Lowe demanded to know who approved the job posting and urged the department to immediately remove it. Reform's Zia Yusuf also wrote on social media: 'There is only one legal system in the UK. Any attempt to upend or replace it should be illegal.' While party leader Nigel Farage claimed: 'Our country and its values are being destroyed.' And Tory MP Peter Bedford said: 'I would be aghast if a politician signed off allowing recruitment for this type of role. 'I suspect, once again, this is the out-of-control civil service creating and implementing policy contrary to democratic authority. This must stop.' The advert posted on the DWP's Find A Job website on Thursday was for a 'Sharia Law Administrator' at Manchester Community Centre based in Didsbury. It requested an individual to 'provide all admin and secretarial work for Manchester Sharia Council' including to 'plan, manage, organise and oversee all MSC social and sharia services and activities on a day to day basis'. Candidates needed a degree in sharia law along with 'previous working experience in sharia law-related fields and/or sharia courts in Muslim countries'. 'Boundary-setting' was an essential skill, with the ad stating: 'The nature of the work means it is easy to get emotionally involved in certain cases. 'Setting boundaries ensures professional lines are not crossed...' A DWP spokesman said: 'This is a position being advertised on the Find A Job portal by an independent registered charity and is not within DWP. 'Find A Job is a free platform to help jobseekers find vacancies with employers from various sectors.'
