Former MP Ann Widdecombe has described nurses' demands for a 19% pay rise as 'cloud cuckooland' as she lashed out at strikes - as well as some senior Conservative figures. Nurses are threatening to stage a fresh wave of strikes in the new year on an even larger scale if ministers fail to respond in the 48 hours following next week’s walkout.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is poised to escalate its industrial action in January to hit a greater number of hospitals if the Government falls foul of its deadline.The 48-hour countdown will begin after the RCN stages its second day of strikes on Tuesday.
The union has also warned it will scale back its support for non-emergency services if further walkouts go ahead next month. Despite the widespread disruption caused by the nurses’ first strike on Thursday, polling showed that the majority of the public were in favour of the action.
