Nurses must drop pay demands to ‘send clear message to Putin’, cabinet minister says

‘This is a time to come together and to send a very clear message to Mr Putin that we’re not going to be divided in this way,’ says Nadhim Zahawi

Nurses and ambulance drivers are helping Vladimir Putin in his assault on Ukraine by demanding big pay rises, a cabinet minister has said. The comments triggered widespread ridicule.

Nadhim Zahawi switched tack in the battle to avert pre-Christmas NHS strikes by claiming that the industrial action would expose a “divided” UK when a united front is needed over Russia’s “illegal war”.

“This is a time to come together and to send a very clear message to Mr Putin that we’re not going to be divided in this way,” said the Tory party chair.