Richard Madeley has come under fire for his ‘disgusting’ disagreement with a doctor, as junior doctors go on strike again.
In England, doctors in training from the British Medical Association and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association went on strike for 72 hours today over salary.
In response, the government provided an extra 12% raise in pay, but medics are believed to be asking for a 35% rise to keep up with inflation and the cost of living problem.
Dr Sumi Manirajan, deputy co-chair of the UK physicians’ Committee, spoke on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday to clarify physicians’ stance on the strike.
However, many viewers were left revolted when Madeley, 67, continued to press her over how much of a rise medics were seeking, with one X user Siedex complaining: ‘Disgusting interview @richardm56 treatment of this young woman is despicable.’
Stephen Miller also remarked on the social media platform: ‘Turned #GMB off and put a dvd of a horror film “The Haunting” on because the real horror of Richard Madeley is too much to bear.’
‘#GMB cut Richard Madeley’s pay by 35% for a decade then ask him what he thinks would be a reasonable pay offer,’ Bingo Brewster suggested.
On the topic of strikes, Madeley told Dr Sumi: ‘You are not going to get 35% – a lot of people think you deserve it – but you are not going to get it, obviously. ‘
‘Average settlements in this country are around 8/8.5% so you are not going to get anywhere near 35%, let’s be realistic. What would you settle for?’
I’m going to ask you a lot more direct question, and I want you to respond; if you don’t want to reply, that’s great, but let’s get a clear response. You know you’re not going to receive 35%, so what would you settle for?
As Dr Sumi began to explain junior doctors had suffered the biggest pay cuts in the public sector, Madeley interjected and said: ‘I completely agree. Any independent observer would agree with that. You don’t have to argue that as that is accepted.’
Madeley continued to demand a ‘straight answer’ from his ‘straight question’ and asked: ‘You’re not going to get 35%, you know that. What would you settle for?’
Dr Sumi replied: A credible offer is one that shows the government is serious about addressing the pay erosion we have faced over the last 15 years, is one that the committee thinks is suitable to put to the members.’
Disgusting interview @richardm56 treatment of this young woman is despicable.
— siedex (@SieDSiedSav) December 20, 2023
Turned #GMB off and put a dvd of a horror film "The Haunting" on because the real horror of Richard Madeley is too much to bear. pic.twitter.com/Xvvf3nePkT
— Stephen Miller (@BoyCharioteer) December 20, 2023
How has Richard Madeley not imploded by now? #GMB
— Bang Bang, I’m a taxi driver. (@lady_manor) December 20, 2023
#gmb cut Richard Madeley's pay by 35% for a decade then ask him what he thinks would be a reasonable pay offer
— Bingo Brewster official 🥕🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🇺🇦#Vets4EU (@bingobrewster) December 20, 2023
Madeley blatantly equivocating and then wondering why the two things aren't the same when speaking to the junior doctor — like it is her fault.
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
AHA!#GMB🤡 pic.twitter.com/3xtSVFIJbj
— ¬InvitedInterlocutor (@UnInterlocutor) December 20, 2023
https://twitter.com/WTStead/status/1737375059105157470
After Madeley jumped in and suggested a 12% pay rise, Dr Sumi said firmly: ’I’m not going to get into negotiations on TV at the moment. What we’re waiting for is the government to come to the table so we can negotiate.’
Speaking to the PA News Agency about the strikes, Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chair of the BMA junior doctors’ committee, said that to break the deadlock the government needed to ‘recognise and value doctors and not inflict a real-terms pay cut.’
‘What that will look like is a credible offer that can stop strikes now and forever in the future,’ he said.
‘We were in talks for the best part of a month or so and thought we were making good headway there but unfortunately by the deadline that both sides had agreed to, what they had on the table was never going to have been good enough for our members.
Asked whether he believed that junior doctors had the support of the public for the strikes, he said: ‘I think the public know the only way to have a healthcare system that looks after them is to have enough doctors.
‘And they can completely appreciate when doctors graduate and they’re starting on £15.50 an hour – after the Government’s latest pay uplift – and go to a maximum of £30 an hour after 10 years of working, that’s just not enough.’
He stated that the Government’s offer, an average 3% hike, would result in physicians earning £15.50 per hour earning £16 per hour.
Meanwhile, Madeley is no new to inciting fury on GMB, having made unusual statements about WWII, a ‘offensive’ remark about Hamas, and ‘insensitively’ interrogating a guy about his deceased family.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
