‘It’d be interesting to hear actually Kemi, what you believe would be a fair hourly rate’
An NHS doctor tore into Kemi Badenoch’s claims about junior doctors’ pay on LBC.
During a phone-in on Tuesday, Badenoch, who recently declared the Tories would ban doctors from striking, complained about resident doctors’ calls for pay restoration.
The Conservative Party leader complained that resident doctors were asking for a 28% pay rise, was “just not affordable” and “six times more than inflation”.
Niamh, a doctor from Bristol who called into the programme, challenged Badenoch: “And it would be interesting to hear actually Kemi what you believe would be a fair hourly rate for a resident doctor because what we’re asking for is to go from £18 an hour to £23.”
Badenoch responded: “My view on doctors’ salaries is that it’s not permanent, you’re not going to be on £18 forever as you continue in your career you’re going to be earning way more than pretty much anyone else in the public sector.”
Niamh countered Badenoch’s claim by citing a British Medical Association (BMA) survey, which found that 52% of resident doctors have no job lined up in three weeks’ time, with many unable to secure speciality training or locum work.
She said: “That progression isn’t guaranteed, there isn’t the job security.”
Badenoch said she had an “issue” with the ‘militant’ British Medical Association and spoke about banning doctors from striking, comparing it to existing bans on strikes by the military, police, and prison officers.
She argued this would be the same as the bans on strikes that apply to the military, police and prison officers.
Niamh interjected on this point, stating: “I’m going to have to push back on the fact that the police are holders of the warrant which is why they can’t strike. We are public employees working for a government organisation.”
LBC presenter Iain Dale asked whether her taking away the right to strike would come with any concessions, such as pay restoration by a certain date. Badenoch said she wouldn’t give any guarantees.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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