Government lying about NHS strike negotiations, Unite union leader claims

Sharon Graham accuses Grant Shapps over ambulance cover remarks and says PM and Steven Barclay not engaging in pay talks

The Unite union’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, has accused the government of lying about the state of NHS strike negotiations and said no talks on pay are happening “at any level”.

Other unions, including Unison and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), have said the government has not made any further moves towards ending industrial action since talks in early January.