Today’s news summary – Paper Talk
Today’s strikes dominate most of the papers. “Safety at risk as A&E units declare crisis,” says the front page of the i newspaper. Whilst the Independent reports that urgent care services have experienced their highest-ever demand. The Times claims paramedics believe “the entire system has collapsed” with patients already seeing long wait times for ambulances.
UK strikes – Govt to blame if anyone dies
The Guardian reports on the pay dispute between health unions and the government, saying it “looks poised to descend into a bitter and disruptive war of attrition that could go on for months” in what the Financial Times calls Rishi Sunak’s “biggest challenge yet”.
The health secretary writes in the Daily Telegraph that bosses have made a “conscious choice to inflict harm on patients”. A source close to Steve Barclay tells the FT that “lives could be lost” and says “the unions have to take responsibility for that.” The Daily Mail asks: ‘How will they live with themselves if people die today?’.
But the Daily Mirror says if anyone does die because of the strikes the only people to blame are the government, saying “responsibility will rest with Conservative ministers who have failed to fund the health service adequately”. The paper says NHS staff were clapped during Covid but are now being “slapped financially in the face by a callous and incompetent Tory government”.
Plenty of the tabloid papers lead with digs on the government’s warning to avoid “risky activities.”
The front page of the Sun reads: “Don’t use your car, don’t go running, don’t play sport, don’t get drunk, don’t have fun.” The Daily Star recommends its readers wrap themselves in cotton wool or, it suggests, “we could just give NHS staff a well-deserved pay rise”.
