Today's Update From The Waugh Zone On The Junior Doctor's Strike Is Titled `HUNT THE DOCTOR'

* Paul Waugh

by Paul Waugh | Analysis

It’s started. The first doctors’ strike in 40 years began at 8am. It’s Health Questions in the Commons at 2.30pm today and Jeremy Hunt is braced for a defiant session (and may offer the latest stats on how the strike turnout is going and patient impact).

As David Cameron made clear in a passionate and thoughtful speech yesterday on poverty in the UK, he’s a PM who’s always thinking about his legacy as compassionate Conservative. But as ever, the ‘Cameroon’ Cameron is fighting with the ‘Stockbroker Belt Tory’ Cameron. On poverty and family breakdown, his critics contrasted his words with cuts to many local schemes. 

And on the NHS too the Cameroon Cameron - NHS are the most important letters in his life etc - battles with the Cameron who wants radical reform to public services, including a new mission for a ‘7-day’ service. Cameron was notably conciliatory in his tone, if not his words, yesterday ahead of the strike.

(* Credit: via The Waugh Zone)

A new Newsnight/Health Service Journal poll finds found two-thirds supported the strikes as long as emergency care was provided, with 16% opposed. But without emergency cover provided, support drops to 44%, with 39% in opposition. 

Will Jeremy Corbyn turn up to a picket line today? He may be tempted. As for the Trade Union bill, which aims to tighten strike laws, former civil service chief Lord Kerslake last night told the Lords of the “worrying authoritarian streak” of this Government. 

The Telegraph has an exclusive that Sir Bruce Keogh has written to hospitals to warn they may have to order doctors back to work if there is a threat to safety. That may well be important during the more serious A&E strike in February. Nick Clegg (remember him?) was on Today urging ministers to sort it: ‘something’s gone wrong here and the Government needs to settle this as soon as possible’.

* Paul Waugh is the Executive Editor, Politics, HuffPost UK.