Kemi Badenoch Promises to Ban Doctors’ Strikes if Conservatives Remain in Power.

Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, has pledged to introduce legislation that would outlaw strike action by doctors if her party remains in government. Speaking to GB News, she criticized the British Medical Association (BMA) as being “out of control” and claimed that a series of 11 strikes over the past 18 months had contributed to patient deaths.

Her remarks were made during an ongoing five-day strike by junior doctors demanding better pay. Badenoch urged Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to adopt a similar stance and take action against the BMA, which she accused of becoming excessively militant.

“Doctors play a vital role, and medicine should be seen as a vocation, not just a career,” she said. “Our government offered a fair compromise that balanced support for doctors with the need to protect taxpayers. But these repeated strikes are now causing serious harm delaying treatments, increasing anxiety for patients and their families, and even costing lives.”

Badenoch argued that the economic damage and impact on healthcare services from continued strikes made legislative action necessary. She said the Conservatives would pursue “common sense” legal changes aimed at safeguarding patients and public finances.

Currently, under the 1992 Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act, certain groups like police, military personnel, and prison officers are prohibited from striking. Badenoch said the Conservatives would update this law to include doctors.