Keir Starmer issues 48-hour ultimatum to NHS doctors as PM warns against 'reckless' strike action

The union said it had been "negotiating in good faith for weeks" and had been making progress before accusing the Labour Government of "shifting the goalposts".

The Prime Minister has now accused resident doctors of walking away from the deal, adding that some would theoretically have earned more than £100,000 a year.

Writing in The Times, Sir Keir said walking away from the negotiating table is "the wrong decision".

He said: "No one benefits from rejecting this deal. Resident doctors will be worse off.

"Instead of the improved pay, progression and support on offer, they will receive the standard pay award this year, with none of the additional reforms that would have strengthened their working lives.

"The NHS will be worse off. Each strike costs the NHS £250million in paying for cover. And patients will be worse off. Of course, we will do everything we can to protect care. But it would be wrong to pretend there is no impact."

According to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the offer was developed in partnership with the BMA and the resident doctors committee officer team over the last three months.

It includes a 4.9 per cent increase in average basic pay from 2026 to 2027, which the Health Secretary said would leave resident doctors 35.2 per cent better off than four years ago.

Wages for the lowest-paid, newly qualified medics would have risen by at least 6.2 per cent and 7.1 per cent, with basic pay for a new full-time doctor in their first paid year of training after medical school at £41,226.

The letter highlights that the starting wage for new graduates would also have been almost £12,000 higher than in 2022/23.

The offer also pledges up to 4,500 new specialty training posts over the next three years, mandatory royal college exam fees reimbursed, contract reforms and reforms to the pay structure to ensure more opportunities for wage rises.

Mr Streeting wrote: "I know that trust has been strained and that many of you feel undervalued.

"I have listened carefully to that message, and this is the most comprehensive offer I can make."

If the BMA misses the deadline of April 2, Mr Streeting told MPs last week that minimising the disruption of the strike will "consume the money set aside for this deal".

NHS National Director for emergency planning Mike Prentice wrote to hospital leaders today, saying: "We expect this round to be challenging as there is a shorter notice period, bank holidays within the notice period and the action itself falling during the Easter holidays.

"This will represent a significant strain on staffing resources to provide safe cover."