Green Party Backs Resident Doctors Strike as Reform UK Leader Reacts to Remarks

Resident doctors in England began a six-day strike at 7:00 AM on April 7, 2026, as a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions continues. The industrial action, organized by the British Medical Association (BMA), is scheduled to conclude at 6:59 AM on April 13, 2026.

This walkout marks the 15th time resident doctors, previously referred to as junior doctors, have staged industrial action since March 2023. According to analysis by the Times and Telegraph, the start of this strike on April 7 represented the 60th day of industrial action by resident doctors over the last three years.

The BMA is campaigning for full pay restoration, specifically requesting that pay be restored to 2008 levels, which would constitute a 26 percent increase.

Government Offer and Dispute

The current round of strikes follows the collapse of talks between the government and the BMA in March 2026. The government previously offered a package of measures that included faster pay progression, additional specialty training posts, and the coverage of out-of-pocket expenses such as exam fees.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated on April 7, 2026, that the BMA rejected this offer outright. He accused the union of torpedoing the available pay rises and training posts for resident doctors, asserting that the action puts at risk the recovery of the NHS.

Jack Fletcher, the chair of the BMA Resident Doctors Committee, responded by stating that government ministers effectively moved the goalposts on the deal at the last minute. Fletcher argued that removing potential doctors’ posts is detrimental to patients during a period when GP queues and corridor care are already straining the health service.

We have consistently maintained that we are willing to postpone industrial action should a genuinely credible offer be provided. This remains the case now, up to, and throughout any period of industrial action.

Jack Fletcher, BMA Resident Doctors Committee chair

Impact on NHS Services and Costs

NHS officials have estimated that this specific round of strike action will cost the health service approximately £300 million. This will result in the cancellation of appointments and increased waiting times for patients seeking surgery, treatment, and tests.

The cumulative cost of resident doctors’ strikes since 2023 is estimated to exceed £3 billion. While the NHS has not provided formal figures, officials stated they do not object to this estimate.

Political Reactions

The dispute has drawn various political responses. The Green party has expressed support for the striking doctors. Mothin Ali, the party’s co-deputy leader, urged Wes Streeting to resolve long-term concerns regarding pay, training, and working conditions.

Rather than shifting goalposts or arm twisting resident doctors with threats over training places, Wes Streeting needs to get serious about resolving resident doctors long term concerns over pay, training and working conditions. The government’s 10-year plan for the NHS will go nowhere if the workforce feels unappreciated, devalued and demotivated.

Mothin Ali, Green party co-deputy leader

Conversely, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has taken a harder stance on the industrial action. Badenoch stated that she would ban both resident doctors and consultants from going on strike if she becomes Prime Minister.