Resident doctors vote in favour of strike action

Published

1 month ago

July 8, 2025

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Resident doctors in England have voted in favour of strike action, the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced.

The term “resident doctor” replaced “junior doctors” last year, in a bid to better reflect their expertise and responsibilities.

Doctors in England and Wales were awarded a 5.4% pay increase by the government, but the British Medical Association threatened strike action following the announcement, claiming the increases did not account for historical pay freezes.

The BMA is calling for a salary increase of 29.2% to bring salaries back to “full pay restoration”. The union argues this is the level at which pay has declined in real terms since 2008, when adjusting for inflation.

Turnout for the vote was 55%, which means just under half of eligible doctors voted for strike action.

More than 26,000 resident doctors voted in favour of strikes, while just under 3,000 voted against.

Strike dates ‘to follow’

“It’s time for Wes Streeting to find a credible path to pay restoration,” the BMA said.

“Failing that, we’ll be calling for a strike of resident doctors across England, with dates to follow.”

In a video, shared on social media, representatives for the BMA confirmed “strike planning is already underway” and dates could be announced “very soon”.

Other NHS workers in England, including nurses, midwives, and physiotherapists, will get a 3.6% pay increase effective from 1 April, the Health Secretary previously said.

“It’s time for Wes Streeting to find a credible path to pay restoration,” the BMA said. “Failing that, we’ll be calling for a strike of resident doctors across England, with dates to follow.”

The Royal College of Nursing general secretary Nicola Ranger said nursing staff are “similarly voting in strong numbers and telling the government to go faster in repairing a damaged NHS and undervalued workforce”.

Last year, the government offered resident doctors a 22% pay rise to end months of strike action.

While this was the highest public sector pay award in recent years, the BMA emphasised it was only a partial restoration, and not the full amount needed to fully bring pay back in line with previous levels.

This is the news no one wants to hear

By Laura Bundock, health correspondent
Doctors on strike is not what patients or politicians want to hear.

During the last industrial action nearly 1.5 million appointments and procedures were cancelled.

Plus this new vote to strike comes just days after the much-hyped 10 year plan for the NHS, and only a few weeks since the NHS was widely regarded a big winner in the government’s Spending Review.

The Health Secretary is in a precarious position.

As soon as he took office, Wes Streeting began negotiations to end the industrial action.

But it’s not enough for the newly renamed resident doctors, who say “woefully inadequate” real-time pay is still less than levels in 2008.

Their ballot means strikes could begin as early as next month, and last well into the difficult winter period.

It could bring weeks of misery to patients who’ve already faced long and painful waits for appointments and treatments.

The BMA wants urgent talks with the Health Secretary.

They’re demanding more money, to avert the walkouts.

It is a critical moment for Wes Streeting, and one which threatens his ambitions for the NHS. Targets to bring down backlogs, and tackle waiting lists are in jeopardy.

There isn’t an endless pot of cash. But strikes would be hugely unpopular with patients.

Other key health workers are watching on closely, with nurses already saying they too are considering industrial action.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “While most resident doctors in the BMA did not vote to strike, it is disappointing that the BMA is continuing to threaten strike action after a pay rise of 28.9% over the last three years.

“The Secretary of State has been clear that he wants to work constructively with all unions, including the BMA, to improve working conditions for NHS staff and avoid strike action, which can be hugely disruptive for patients.”

UK

Police officer describes moment he was shot with crossbow – as attacker jailed

Published

3 hours ago

August 20, 2025

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Police officer describes moment he was shot with crossbow - as attacker jailed

A police officer has described the moment he was shot with a crossbow – as his “extremely dangerous” attacker was sentenced to nine years in jail.

Jason King, 54, fired the weapon at PC Curtis Foster after stabbing a neighbour, a man in his 60s, following an altercation in Downley, Wycombe, on 10 May last year.

PC Foster was struck in the leg by a crossbow bolt while King chased after him and his fellow unarmed officer.

“I knew something had impacted me, but my adrenaline was so high that the pain wasn’t really there,” PC Foster said.

“I first realised I was bleeding quite a lot when I could feel it running down my leg, and then I touched my leg with above my trousers, and my whole hand was red where it’d gone through my trousers already.”

PC Foster and his colleague cleared the area of civilians, while armed officers chased King to a local park.

King also fired the crossbow at a police dog but missed.

He was ordered to drop the weapon, but instead started running with it in hand towards the exit of the park to where PC Foster had escaped.

An armed officer fired one shot at King, striking him in the abdomen, to stop him.

‘Covered in my blood’

As King was apprehended, paramedics and his fellow officers treated the seriously injured PC Foster.

“There was a lot of blood. My two colleagues that turned up initially on scene were covered in my blood – that’s how much blood I’d lost,” PC Foster said.

“When we got to the hospital, the doctor had a feel of it and said that I was really lucky it didn’t strike an artery. It was a couple of centimetres away from hitting an artery in the back of my leg.”

PC Foster has since made a full recovery, as did the neighbour King stabbed.

King himself was taken to hospital under police supervision with potentially life-changing injuries and was discharged 10 days later, when he was arrested and taken into police custody.

On Wednesday, King was jailed at Aylesbury Crown Court for nine years with a further three years on extended licence having previously pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, having an article with a blade or point, having an offensive weapon, wounding with intent and affray regarding the incident.

“Jason King will now serve a substantial prison sentence as a result of his violent actions on 10 May 2024. The community and residents of Downley are much safer for it,” said senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Nick Hind.

He added: “The courage of our officers in dealing with this incident was second to none.”

‘Significant threat to police’

DI Hind explained that the impact the incident had in the local community couldn’t be underestimated as King was “an extremely dangerous man, who posed a significant threat to police, other emergency services and members of the community”.

A mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct was made after the police shooting of King.

The IOPC, which concluded its investigation in November, commended “everybody involved in this incident”, according to DI Hind.

UK

Husband’s tribute to mother-of-two killed by falling tree branch in Blackburn

Published

6 hours ago

August 20, 2025

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Husband's tribute to mother-of-two killed by falling tree branch in Blackburn

A mother-of-two who died after being hit by a falling tree branch on the way home from a family outing would do “everything she could for anyone”, her husband has said.

Madia Kauser, 32, was walking with her family in Witton Park in Blackburn, Lancashire, on 11 August when the incident happened.

She is reported to have pushed her young daughter to safety.

A joint investigation is being carried out by Lancashire Police and the Health and Safety Executive and any witnesses are being asked to come forward.

In a tribute issued by police, her husband Wasim Khan described her as the “most beautiful woman in the world” and said he feels “completely lost without her”.

He said: “My wife, a mother-of-two, a daughter, sister and a friend we lost to a tragic event that came on the way home from a family day out in the park.

“She was the most beautiful woman in the world, she did everything for our two children, she did everything she could for anyone and would bring smiles whenever she entered the room.

“She was my comfort, my partner in life and the love of my life.

“We have so many great memories, went through pain together and started a family together.

“Honestly, I feel completely lost without her and I do not know how to put into words how much I miss her face, her character and her presence. My one and only.”

Detective Inspector Iain Czapowski said: “This is an absolutely tragic incident which has cost a young woman her life and my thoughts are with her loved ones.

“We are working closely with our colleagues from the Health and Safety Executive and with the co-operation of the council to try and establish the full circumstances of what happened, and I would like to speak to anyone with information which could assist with that.

“I am especially keen to speak to anyone who actually saw what happened on that fateful night and I would urge them to contact us.”

UK

Kneecap rapper greeted by hundreds of supporters as he arrives at court on terror charge

Published

6 hours ago

August 20, 2025

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Kneecap rapper greeted by hundreds of supporters as he arrives at court on terror charge

A member of rap trio Kneecap was greeted by hundreds of supporters as he arrived at court this morning, charged with allegedly supporting a proscribed terror organisation.

Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year.

Demonstrators waving flags and holding banners in support of the rapper greeted him with cheers as he made his way into Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Supported by his Kneecap bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, it took the rapper more than a minute to enter the building as security officers worked to usher him inside through a crowd of photographers.

Fans held signs which read “Free Mo Chara”, while others waved Irish and Palestinian flags.

As the hearing got under way, O hAnnaidh confirmed his name, date of birth and address, with the court hearing an Irish language interpreter would be present.

During a previous hearing, prosecutors said the 27-year-old is “well within his rights” to voice his opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, but said the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town was a “wholly different thing”.

O hAnnaidh is yet to enter a plea to the charge.

Who are Kneecap?

Kneecap put out their first single in 2017 and rose to wider prominence in 2024 after the release of their debut album and an eponymously titled film – a fictionalised retelling of how the band came together and their fight to save the Irish language.

The film, in which the trio play themselves and co-star alongside starring Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender, won the BAFTA for outstanding debut earlier this year, for director and writer Rich Peppiatt.

Last year, they won a discrimination case against the UK government after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was business secretary.

They are known for songs including H.O.O.D, Fine Art, and Better Way To Live, featuring Fontaines DC frontman Grian Chatten.

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