UK government could bring in military to ease strikes: Conservative Party chairman

Britain is looking at bringing in the military to keep public services running if key workers strike, said Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi

Despite urging unions not to strike, he also highlighted the importance of having a ‘contingency plan’

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Bus workers hold placards as they stand outside a depot in London on December 1, 2022. The Sunday Times newspaper reported that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could revive plans to curb the right to strike for public sector workers, including NHS staff, teachers and firefighters. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:06pm, 4 Dec 2022

The British government is looking at bringing in the military to help keep public services running if key workers, including in the state-run National Health Service (NHS), take strike action, the chairman of the governing Conservative Party said on Sunday.

Britain is already grappling with industrial action in a range of sectors, but now faces strikes by thousands of nurses in England and ambulance workers in England and Wales who plan to walk out later this month over pay and conditions.

The government has repeatedly called on workers to halt strike action, saying it could not afford pay rises to cover inflation and that, even if it could meet their demands, such increases would further fuel inflation.

Chairman of Britain’s Conservative Party, Nadhim Zahawi, blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin ’s invasion of Ukraine for fuelling energy price rises and inflation, calling on public sector workers to “come together”. Photo: Reuters

“Our message to the unions is to say ‘this is not a time to strike, this is a time to try and negotiate’. But in the absence of that, it is important for the government … to have contingency plans in place,” Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News.

“We’re looking at the military, we’re looking at a specialist response force … a surge capacity,” he said, adding that the military could be brought in to drive ambulances.

Alex Baldock, chief executive of British electronics retailer Currys, said his company would not use Royal Mail “for now” to reduce any strike impact.

Workers at post and parcel company Royal Mail have held several rounds of strikes this year in a dispute over pay and working conditions and more strikes are planned this month.