- By Nick Triggle
- Health Correspondent
Junior doctors in England are planning a five-day strike ahead of the election with the government over long-term pay.
Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) will be out from 07:00 BST on 27 June – a week before Election Day.
The union said it was acting because there had been no credible new offer since fresh talks began in mid-May.
The BMA has called for a 35% pay rise to match what it says is 15 years of low pay growth.
Junior doctors received an average pay rise of 9% last financial year.
The BMA walked out of negotiations last year which had seen an additional 3% pay rise.
This will be the junior doctors’ 11th strike in the dispute since their first strike in March 2023.
It will see junior doctors withdraw from all services, while senior doctors must be recalled to cover.
This will cause major disruption to elective services, such as routine operations, days before the general election.
Co-chairs of the BMA’s Junior Doctors Committee, Dr Robert Lawrenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, said: “We have indicated to the Government that we will strike if discussions do not conclude with a credible pay offer.
“For over 18 months, we have been asking Rishi Sunak to come up with proposals to restore the pay junior doctors have lost over the last 15 years.”
They added: “When we entered into mediation with the government this month, we did so under the impression that we had a government in place that would soon deliver. Obviously, there are no offers right now. Junior doctors are bored and impatient.
“Even at this late stage, Mr Sunak has an opportunity to show he cares about the NHS and its workers.”
Strike action is also underway in Northern Ireland, with another strike planned for early June.
The walk in Wales is on hold as negotiations continue.
Junior doctors in Scotland have not gone on strike after receiving a pay offer from the government there.