RISHI SUNAK was accused today of failing to understand why junior doctors are striking after claiming his 6 per cent pay offer was “fair and final.”

Writing in the Daily Express, the Prime Minister said that “there will be no more talks on this year’s pay” and urged doctors to call off their strikes.

He has also blamed workers for the record-high NHS waiting lists.

In response, British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors committee chairman Dr Rob Laurenson told LBC: “It’s a real shame that Mr Sunak doesn’t quite understand the gravity of the situation and doesn’t quite understand some of the important retention features that were absent from his workforce plan.

“It’s clear as day: 98 per cent of doctors voted for this strike action because we’ve lost 31.7 per cent of our pay over the last 15 years and it can’t keep going on.

“Mr Sunak’s offered us 6 per cent and £1,250 uplift which equates to another real terms pay cut.

“It’s not surprising the vast majority of doctors are very angry with the Prime Minister.”

Dr Emma Runswick, BMA deputy chair of council, branded the prime minister “profoundly irresponsible” as “calling an end to negotiations without having once stepped in the room with us is talking at us, not to us,” adding: “Mr Sunak is right that he can’t address his waiting lists pledge alone: he is going to need to co-operate with doctors.”