LABOUR is playing politics over the Northern Ireland protocol, according to health minister Maria Caulfield.
She told GB News: “The Northern Ireland protocol has been an issue for a while now we know that that’s why there isn’t an up and running assembly in Northern Ireland or an executive.
“That’s causing problems for people in Northern Ireland, because devolved matters, such as health, for example, are not able to be addressed.
“That’s why the Prime Minister has put this as one of his first priorities to try and sort out the Northern Ireland protocol. A deal hasn’t been reached, negotiations are ongoing.
“We all agree that we need to resolve this once and for all first and foremost for the people of Northern Ireland.”
In a discussion with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster during Breakfast on GB News, she said: “The Labour Party has tried to thwart Brexit at every opportunity.
“They’re playing politics with the situation. Our priority is trying to get this right for the people of Northern Ireland.
“The work now is to try and get those negotiations to a place where we can get an agreement on this and can make progress.”
Asked about the planned strike by junior doctors, she said: “Junior doctor covers anyone from newly qualified doctor right through to someone who’s about to become a consultant.
“Starting wages are around £33,000 and go up to over £55,000 but what the BMA is asking for is 26%. Now that is just not affordable.
“We have to be realistic in terms of what the country can afford. They were given an 8.4% pay deal.
“They’re not on the independent pay review bodies scheme. They’re on a multi year settlement, which they absolutely supported at the time.
“And so I would say to them, particularly when they’re saying they won’t cover areas like A&E and ICU that patients will be put at risk by the strikes and so they need to negotiate with the government for their next multi year pay settlement.
“But 26% is not something that we can afford.”
On calls to supply fighter jets to Ukraine, she said: “The Prime Minister is trying to encourage allies across the Western world to support Ukraine with help and support and absolutely jets are one of those issues and he’s asked the Defence Secretary to look at this.
“I think we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet but they have to be the right pieces of equipment that Ukraine can use quickly and don’t need months of training in order to be able to use, so there’s lots of work going on behind the scenes on this specific issue.”
