‘They will KILL your mother for a pay rise’: Kelvin MacKenzie swipes at striking junior doctors in tense row

MacKenzie's outburst occurred during a tense exchange about the government's handling of healthcare, with junior doctors set to ballot for potential strike action that could begin next month and last up to six months.

MacKenzie's criticism extended beyond healthcare to broader attacks on Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership.

"When Keir Starmer came and said 'trust me, I will smash the gangs' and then numbers are up in the Channel, that's where ordinary people can say 'he can't run anything'," MacKenzie said on GB News.

He accused the Prime Minister of breaking promises on taxation, stating: "Then they say 'we're not going to tax you, in fact we will'. Whether he's a liar or misrepresenter of the year, something is going wrong in this country."

MacKenzie declared he saw "no hope whatsoever for Keir Starmer", whilst expressing support for Ed Davey and "phenomenal" hope for Nigel Farage.

Former Labour minister Bill Rammell defended the government's record during the debate, arguing that progress was being made across key policy areas.

"I think as the Government begins to deliver on tackling the boats, reducing net migration, delivering on the agenda for change, living standards and cutting the NHS waiting list, I think the situation can be different," Rammell said.

When challenged by MacKenzie about NHS waiting lists amid strike threats, Rammell highlighted recent improvements."

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NHS waiting lists have fallen seven months in a row in part because this government is investing significantly in the NHS," he said. "It's been a significant trend in the right direction, but it needs to go further."

The debate took place against the backdrop of escalating tensions over junior doctors' pay demands.

Resident doctors in England are seeking a 29 per cent pay rise to restore their salaries to 2008 levels, arguing their pay has declined by 23 per cent in real terms over that period.

The British Medical Association has begun balloting doctors for strike action, with the ballot closing on 7 July. If approved, strikes could begin in July and potentially last until January 2026, following previous industrial action that saw doctors take 44 days of strikes between March 2023 and July 2024.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged doctors to vote against the action, warning strikes would push back progress on reducing NHS waiting lists.