Tory Leader Badenoch Plans Doctors Strike Ban Amid UK Pay Dispute

Kemi Badenoch, Tory leader, has pledged that if the Conservatives return to power, they will introduce legislation to ban doctors from striking, placing them under the same restrictions as police, military, and prison officers. This move follows a series of strikes by resident doctors over pay disputes, with the British Medical Association (BMA) refusing to rule out further industrial action despite recent pay rises. Badenoch criticized the BMA for becoming increasingly militant and emphasized that doctors' strikes have led to patient deaths and disruption of critical healthcare services. The Conservatives also plan to reintroduce minimum service level requirements in the NHS to ensure basic healthcare provision during strikes. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has condemned the strikes, asserting that the union will not be allowed to "hold the country to ransom" after awarding a significant pay increase to doctors over recent years. However, the BMA argues that doctors' pay has eroded by about 20% in real terms since 2008, fueling ongoing disputes and dissatisfaction among medical professionals.