A senior Tory MP has become the latest to join calls for Rishi Sunak to offer NHS workers more money in an attempt to end crippling strikes.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who is treasurer of the Conservatives’ backbench 1922 committee, said it was “unrealistic” of the government to stick to the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies.
Nurses have demanded a rise of 5% above the RPI rate of inflation - which works out at 19% - but have only been offered around 4%.
Ambulance workers have today become the latest group to take industrial action, following two separate walkouts by nurses.
Both the prime minister and health secretary Steve Barclay have refused to budge on pay, despite repeated calls from unions to get back round the table.
Speaking to Radio 4′s PM programme, Sir Geoffrey said: “In my view both sides need to offer a little bit of flexibility.
“Nurses at a 19% pay demand is completely unrealistic, government just parroting out the lines of ‘pay review’ is also unrealistic.
“These things have got to be solved by negotiation, they’ve both got to get around the table and see what can be done in the interests of the people in this country.
“The people who are desperately likely to need this service over Christmas, it is a really worrying time if you get a heart attack or something like that.”
His comments echo those of former Tory chairman Jake Berry, who said the offer made to NHS workers was “too low”.
But appearing on Sky News this morning. Steve Barclay again insisted the government would not make an improved pay offer.
And in parliament yesterday, the prime minister said offering NHS staff more money would further fuel inflation.
He said: “I’ve acknowledged it is difficult, it’s difficult for everybody, because inflation is where it is. And the best way to help them and help everyone else in the country is for us to get a grip and reduce inflation as quickly as possible.
“And we need to make sure that the decisions that we make can bring about that outcome. Because if we get it wrong and we’re still dealing with high inflation in a year’s time, that’s not going to help anybody.