Tories' refusal to discuss pay a 'complete joke' - despite union's offer to suspend strike
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government was 'wasting a fight' and claimed he was cynically planning to transfer responsibility for an 'NHS crisis that is squarely their fault'
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James Cleverly says 'clues on behalf of' independent pay review body
Wes Streeting called the government's refusal to enter wage negotiations a 'complete joke' and accused the Tories of trying to blame their failures on staff.
The Shadow Health Secretary has said the government is 'wasting a fight' and claimed he is cynically planning to shift blame for an 'NHS crisis which is entirely his fault'.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said it will end a major strike this week if the government agrees to come to the table.
But the Foreign Secretary dismissed the idea, saying Health Secretary Steve Barclay was 'willing to talk to them', but negotiations are being conducted through the independent review body wages.
Mr. Streeting condemned the government's attitude to NHS pay as "a complete joke".
"It is completely unreasonable for the government not to want to negotiate," he told Sky News' Ridge on Sunday.
Picture:
Getty Images)"I think they're ruining a fight".
Mr. Streeting said the talks offer was "too good to turn down" and demanded to know why the government wouldn't go along with the idea.
“The government line is a complete joke about it, there was not a single minute of negotiation,” he said.
"I think they don't have a plan for the NHS this winter, they're pretty happy to see paramedics and nurses going on strike because when the proverb hits the ventilator this winter, they'll blame paramedics and nurses for an NHS crisis that is squarely the fault of a Tory government and 12 years of mismanagement."
But Mr Streeting declined to say whether Labor would accept the wage demand...
Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government was 'wasting a fight' and claimed he was cynically planning to transfer responsibility for an 'NHS crisis that is squarely their fault'
Video not available
Click to playTap to play
James Cleverly says 'clues on behalf of' independent pay review body
Wes Streeting called the government's refusal to enter wage negotiations a 'complete joke' and accused the Tories of trying to blame their failures on staff.
The Shadow Health Secretary has said the government is 'wasting a fight' and claimed he is cynically planning to shift blame for an 'NHS crisis which is entirely his fault'.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said it will end a major strike this week if the government agrees to come to the table.
But the Foreign Secretary dismissed the idea, saying Health Secretary Steve Barclay was 'willing to talk to them', but negotiations are being conducted through the independent review body wages.
Mr. Streeting condemned the government's attitude to NHS pay as "a complete joke".
"It is completely unreasonable for the government not to want to negotiate," he told Sky News' Ridge on Sunday.
Picture:
Getty Images)"I think they're ruining a fight".
Mr. Streeting said the talks offer was "too good to turn down" and demanded to know why the government wouldn't go along with the idea.
“The government line is a complete joke about it, there was not a single minute of negotiation,” he said.
"I think they don't have a plan for the NHS this winter, they're pretty happy to see paramedics and nurses going on strike because when the proverb hits the ventilator this winter, they'll blame paramedics and nurses for an NHS crisis that is squarely the fault of a Tory government and 12 years of mismanagement."
But Mr Streeting declined to say whether Labor would accept the wage demand...
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