Sky News halted for breaking announcement - and it's 'embarrassing' for Keir Starmer

Sky News host Jayne Secker halted the programme to reveal that resident doctors would go ahead with a five-day strike. The British Medical Association confirmed the strike action this afternoon.

She said on Tuesday's show: "We've got a bit of breaking news coming from the British Medical Association. They are saying that junior doctors will go ahead with the strikes that have been scheduled. Up to 50,000 resident doctors in England are expected to join industrial action from 7am on Friday to 7am on Wednesday, July 30."

"They are demanding a 29 per cent pay rise," the journalist noted as she read out the report's details.

She added: "We have heard from the Health Service that they are not going to cancel appointment schedules for those days. The doctors say that the door remains open for conversations before the action starts."

Doctors are striking after the Government failed to make an offer to "meet the scale" of the challenges felt by medics, the British Medical Association stated.

The association's resident doctors committee said while members were willing to discuss non-pay issues, the row "is at its core a pay dispute".

Viewers took to the comment section following the announcement and had mixed reviews on the update. One person wrote: "Embarrassing for the Government, after claiming he solved the strikes last time around. It feels like we are back to square one."

A second wrote: "Honestly, if they think a strike's going to fix the NHS, they've got another thing coming. Patients suffer, and all it proves is no one's listening."

"Over the last 40 years since I was able to vote, I've supported doctors in every dispute without fail," another noted. "However, on this occasion, given the last 28 per cent pay rise, which was much more than teachers, firefighters, or nurses got, & given the economy, I can only say they are taking the p***."

However, someone else penned: "They need a better pay rise and conditions. Also, this would prevent doctors seeking work in Canada and Australia."

Another wrote: "Oh, that's a big strike! Hope it leads to some real change for the doctors."