Keir Starmer was left stumbling and repeating himself when Laura Kuenssberg of the BBC asked him eight times whether he would cave in to doctors’ salary demands and provide them a hefty pay raise above the 6% announced by Rishi Sunak this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Labour leader spent minutes attacking the Tories’ record, making excuses like ‘not being in the room,’ refusing to answer hypothetical questions, and vaguely vowing to ‘expand the economy,’ all while avoiding answering a direct question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the government’s salary offer this week was positively received by many public sector workers, including teachers, doctors’ unions threatened additional strikes over their 6% pay offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The BMA said the government is \u201cdriving doctors away\u201d from the NHS over low pay, and the Royal College of Nursing threatened more walkouts as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rishi Sunak has said that the offer is final and that \u201cno amount of strikes\u201d will change his mind, as the Government battles to drive down inflation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the high profile debate, it seems Keir Starmer has no view on the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ms Kuenssberg began his widely-anticipated Sunday morning interview by asking what he would do in this situation as Prime Minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He replied: \u201cThis is the government\u2019s problem; they as good as broke our public services, they\u2019ve created a situation in which wages have been stagnant for many, many years.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ms Kuenssberg cut him: \u201cBut what would you do differently in that situation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sir Keir continued: \u201cThey need to sort out this mess\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She bluntly asked: \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He tried again: \u201cI would do this differently, by growing the economy. We have to grow, grow, grow our economy\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She interjected again: \u201cYou\u2019ve said that already, but the specific question: if you were PM right now – it\u2019s exactly the kind of problem that might face you, a pay dispute with a big powerful union, the doctors say they will not accept it, Rishi Sunak says no more negotiating – what would you do? Do you back the junior doctors, or do you back the PM?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sir Keir once again dodged the question: \u201cWe would be be around the table negotiating and we would settle this dispute, I think many people would say \u2018why has it taken this long even to have one step towards progress?\u2019 Because many people have had their operations cancelled, many people have been deeply affected by these strikes\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ms Kuenssberg cut in yet again: \u201cSo right now if you were PM, you would keep negotiating?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He refused three more times to answer the simple question, with the\u00a0BBC\u00a0politics star resorting to pointing out some viewers will be left with raised eyebrows after the man vying to be Prime Minister is not wanting to \u201cwade in\u201d to an important debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Responding to the toe-curling interview, senior Conservative MP Simon Clarke said: \u201cKeir Starmer says he would \u201cnegotiate\u201d with the militant BMA\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe more appropriate word would be \u201ccapitulate\u201d – if he means to offer them what they want (how?) or more likely \u201cdissimulate\u201d if (as he is actually doing) he\u2019s pretending he could\/would offer more with no plan to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Keir Starmer was left stumbling and repeating himself when Laura Kuenssberg of the BBC asked him eight times whether he would cave in to doctors’ salary demands and provide them … <\/p>\n