by Peter Lazenby

JUNIOR doctors defended stepping up their strike action yesterday against the hated seven-day contract being forced on them by NHS wrecker and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

After announcing strikes for five days from Monday, September 12, the junior doctors will also strike on October 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11, November 14 to 18 and December 5 to 9, junior doctors confirmed.

They again offered to call off their entire strike action if Mr Hunt suspends his plan to implement the contracts in October, and restart talks.

However, once again the Health Secretary failed to respond.

The British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors’ committee chair Ellen McCourt said: “We want to resolve this dispute through talks, but in forcing through a contract that junior doctors have rejected and which they don’t believe is good for their patients or themselves, the government has left them with no other choice.”

A ferocious media attack has been launched against the junior doctors, claiming that they have “declared war” on Jeremy Hunt, rather than the other way round.

The media attacks include exaggerating alleged “divisions” in the medical profession over the justification for strikes.

But the BMA said it was “absolutely behind” the decision for further action.

Six strikes have taken place across England during the dispute.

In July Mr Hunt announced he will impose the new contracts against the will of the junior doctors.

The junior doctors have argued that they already work seven days a week, and are at breaking point through overwork, long hours, and growing workloads.

[email protected]