Why NHS in England appears destined for months of further strikes

Nurses’ rejection of pay deal underlines fury at state of health service as RCN criticised over handling of dispute

Friday’s announcement by the Royal College of Nursing that its members have rejected the pay offer on the table for NHS workers dashed any remaining hopes in Downing Street of drawing a neat line under months of debilitating strike action across the public sector.

As nurses kicked off the first strike action in the RCN’s history before Christmas, the union was demanding a pay rise of 19%. In January, its general secretary, Pat Cullen, urged the health secretary, Steve Barclay, to “meet me halfway here”, and conceded that 10% might be acceptable.