England's Junior Doctors Strike for Higher Wages Amid Cost-of-Living Crisis

The longest strike in NHS history highlights the strain on the healthcare system and could influence the upcoming general elections.

Junior doctors in England are on strike, demanding a 35% wage increase as the cost of living surges across Britain. This planned six-day labor action is set to be the longest in the National Health Service's (NHS) 75-year history.
The British Medical Association, the union organizing the strike, claims that junior doctors' real-terms pay has decreased by a quarter since 2008 due to a crippling cost-of-living crisis, burnout, and below-inflation pay rises.
The strike, which has led to the delay of many appointments, has been criticized for its timing as January is typically the busiest time of the year for the NHS. Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has urged the union to call off the strike.
The NHS, founded in 1948, has been under increasing pressure as the British population has grown and aged, making it more expensive to fund. The past decade has been particularly difficult for the NHS due to austerity measures imposed by the Conservative government.
The upcoming general elections will likely focus on healthcare as an important issue. The Labour party, currently leading in the polls, has promised to invest in the NHS if voted into power.