Keir Starmer slams Rishi Sunak on eve of first-ever nurses strike, labelling it a 'badge of shame for this government'

14 December 2022, 12:55 | Updated: 14 December 2022, 13:09

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has slammed Rishi Sunak during Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions, branding the first-ever nurses strike "a badge of shame for this government".

Calling out the PM on the eve of the historic walkout, the MP for Holborn and St Pancras took aim, saying: "Instead of showing leadership, he's playing games with peoples' health".

Starmer went on to highlight the "human cost" of the strike action on Wednesday morning.

"All he needs to do is meet the nurses," appealed Starmer across the dispatch box.

It comes as thousands of nurses are set to walk out across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland over long-running pay disputes.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has so far insisted the skeleton service will prioritise emergency cancer services, as well as mental health, learning disability and autism services.

'Nurses going on strike is a badge of shame for this government!'

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Noting the experiences of NHS patients, Starmer highlighted the case of Alex from Chester who is awaiting a routine gallbladder operation - and the concern experienced by his mother over her son's six months absence from school.

He went on to highlight the already extensive wait times and cancelled operations, with the Labour leader expressing the desperation of many for the strikes not to go ahead.

In response, Rishi Sunak attacked Starmer for remaining neutral over the pay dispute.

Labelling Starmer "weak", the PM added that Starmer "isn't strong enough to stand up to the union".

Sunak went on to describe Starmer's calls for him to sit down at the negotiating table as: "simply a political formula for avoiding taking a position on this issue".

Adding: "If he thinks the strikes are wrong, he should say so".