Politics

James O’Brien had the best summary of Nadhim Zahawi’s desperate argument against the nurses’ strike

Oonagh Keating. Updated February 9th, 2024

Nurses have reached crisis point.

Retention and replacement of staff is at an all-time low, leaving those still in post to struggle with understaffing, while real-terms pay cuts have left some nurses needing to resort to food banks.

After 106 years, Royal College of Nursing members have voted to strike, with industrial action set to begin on 15th December.

Nadhim Zahawi, the Secretary of State for Education, shared his bizarre take on the upcoming strike.

“This is not a time to be divided. We have to, I hope, send a very clear message to Mr. Putin that he can’t use energy as a weapon in this way.”

Such a low blow, from a man who claimed heating expenses for his stables, was never going to be well received.

On Tuesday, James O’Brien shone a light on Zahawi’s claim – describing it in the starkest terms – and quoted a caller who had taken a long swig of the government Kool-Aid.

Nadhim Zahawi is a man who put the bill for heating his stables on expenses. He’s telling nurses not to go on strike in pursuit of a better wage, because it’s what Vladimir Putin would have wanted.

If that’s not an example of utter desperation, intellectual and moral bankruptcy, I don’t know – frankly – what is.

James’ viewpoint went down a lot better than the minister’s had.

Shoaib M Khan hit the nail on the head.

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Source LBC Image Screengrab, Screengrab