Morale amongst the staff at the hospital where I minister has never been lower. How could it be anything else given the paltry offer of a 1 per cent pay increase by the government after a year when our lives have depended on the professionalism and care offered by the NHS?

Those of us who have the privilege to work alongside these caregivers stand in solidarity with them as they lobby for a better deal from the government. The threat of strike action should be a grave concern to all, particularly at a time when NHS staff continue to be on the front line as the battle to contain the pandemic reaches a crucial stage.

Most people appreciate the self-sacrifice and courage of NHS staff as they attended to the sick and the dying at the height of the pandemic. Many of them died after getting the disease from their patients. How can the government offer such a poor pay rise to those who have worked tirelessly to keep us safe and to keep the country functioning?