Overview

• The BMA confirmed a five-day strike from 7am on July 25 to 7am on July 30 after 90% of voting resident doctors backed action on a 55% turnout
• The union demands a 29.2% pay rise to reverse a 23% real-terms earnings cut suffered since 2008
• Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ruled out reopening this year’s 5.4% pay award and calls further increases unaffordable
• NHS leaders warn the walkout could force cancellation of up to 200,000 appointments and operations
• Public support for the strike has fallen to about one in five Britons while IVF pioneer Lord Winston resigned from the BMA in protest over patient risks