NHS strikes to go ahead after union meeting with health secretary Steve Barclay breaks down
Strikes by NHS staff will go ahead this month after a meeting between union bosses and the health secretary broke down.
Steve Barclay failed to avert further walkouts by nurses, ambulance workers and auxiliary NHS staff during a short meeting on Monday.
Union leaders reacted in anger over the meeting, which had been seen as a breakthrough in relations after the government initially said it would not talk about pay with unions.
‘No tangible offer’ for health workers – live politics updates
Onay Kasab, Unite’s national lead, said the government “only wanted to talk about productivity” and there was no detailed discussion on a pay settlement as he confirmed strikes by Unite ambulance workers will go ahead on 23 January.
Mr Kasab said it was “absolutely ludicrous” and “outrageous” the government only wanted to talk about NHS staff being more productive in exchange for a pay rise.
“It’s an insult,” he said. “Productivity when our members are working 18-hour shifts. Quite how you become more productive, I don’t know. I’m very angry on behalf of our members.”
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‘No resolution in sight’
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said ministers “have a distance to travel” to avert its second-ever set of strikes on 18 and 19 January.
Joanne Galbraith-Marten, director of employment relations and legal services at the RCN, said: “There is no resolution to our dispute yet in sight.
“Today’s meeting was bitterly disappointing – nothing for the current year and repeating that ‘the budget is already set’ for next year. This intransigence is letting patients down.”
‘No concrete offer’
The GMB union said no cash offer was made and there was nothing “concrete” offered on pay for the next financial year, which starts in April.
Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary, confirmed strikes by its members who are ambulance workers will go ahead on Wednesday.
“Today’s talks fell well short of anything substantial that could stop this week’s strikes,” she said.
“There was some engagement on pay – but not a concrete offer that could help resolve this dispute and make significant progress on the recruitment and retention crisis.
“The public expects the government to treat these talks seriously – it’s time they got on with it.”
Unison’s Sara Gorton said the talks were more positive than before but nothing has been achieved
Sara Gorten, head of health at Unison, said strikes by ambulance workers who are members will go ahead on both Wednesday and 23 January.
She said it was a step forward to hold discussions with the health secretary and there was a “positive tone”, but there was no “tangible” offer from the government.
“For us to call the strikes off will require a firm commitment the Treasury will fix pay for this year as well as next,” she told Sky News.
Teachers and rail unions meetings
Teachers’ unions also held meetings with the education secretary on Monday, ahead of strike ballot results this week.
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, was slightly more optimistic than the NHS unions but said there was “no sense of concrete progress”.
Rail unions had meetings with the transport secretary too, but they all remained tight-lipped.
Mr Barclay is set to talk to the House of Commons on Monday about the government funding an extra £200m to pay for care home beds so people can be discharged from hospital quicker to free-up beds.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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