'Ridiculous': James O’Brien rejects caller's suggestion that nurses shouldn't get pay rises

15 December 2022, 13:58 | Updated: 15 December 2022, 14:21

James O'Brien schools this caller who argued against nurse pay rise

By Phoebe Dampare Osei

This caller attempted to justify the reason behind Rishi Sunak not wanting to negotiate a pay rise with nurses, James O'Brien wasn't having any of it.

One of James O’Brien’s callers tied himself in knots in a persistent attempt to explain why nurses should not receive a pay rise in line with inflation.

James said that during yesterday's PMQs Rishi Sunak was unable to answer why he hadn't sat down to negotiate with the Royal College of Nursing.

This caller told James he "respectfully" disagreed with him stating that the Prime Minister “did answer the question”.

“The nurses were already given a pay rise last year when the public sector pay was frozen”, Ola in South Kensington explained, reiterating the point the Prime Minister made.

James pointed out: “You know what’s happened to inflation since then, and you know what the rationale is for the industrial action this year.”

Ola replied: “Yeah, but if everybody gets the pay rise that they seek then we’re just going to go into an inflationary spiral.”

“Yeah but they didn't get the pay rise that they sought in Scotland, they got roughly half”, James shot back.

READ MORE: NHS nurses strike means 70,000 appointments, procedures and surgeries cancelled, health minister warns

After a pause, Ola said: “Fair enough.”

James said: “We’ve just established that the rationale for this year's industrial action has nothing to do with last year’s economic situation - and everything to do with this year's economic situation.”

Inflation dropped yesterday to 10.7 per cent from a 41-year high of 11.1 per cent last month.

The caller attempted to defend his explanation by comparing the pay negotiations with the war in Ukraine.

“Zelenskyy said the starting point is we’re talking about our 2014 borders, that’s where we come to the negotiation table.

“The government is simply saying we’re not going to have a conversation where the starting point is 20 per cent. We said four per cent, let's start from there", he said firmly.

James, visibly shocked by the analogy, said: “I don't think that made any sense at all...we’ve established that some of the stuff you’ve said was silly.”

The caller then said Rishi Sunak needed to put a cap on inflation “somewhere, somehow”, but that the nurses are “loveable” and so the Prime Minister cannot tell them that.

James pointed out that this was now a completely different point from what he raised at the start.

Laughing, Ola said: “Fine, you got me, James.”

In a savage end to the call, James concluded: “It is ridiculous that you would regurgitate these talking points when even the most cursory examination proves how ridiculous they are.”

This comes after the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked Rishi Sunak yesterday why he would not “open the door and discuss pay” to “resolve” the first nationwide nurses’ strike in the 106-year history of the Royal College of Nursing.

LBC caller impresses James O'Brien with her take on the state of the West

LBC caller impresses James O'Brien with her take on the state of the West

James O'Brien

Caller John: 'The best way to understand Trump tariffs is Red Dwarf'

James O'Brien

James O'Brien challenges caller to provide evidence of Israeli accountability

James O'Brien

LBC callers share landlord horror stories

Man whose parents were murdered by Hamas on October 7 says: We are on precipice of global war— Peace is possible.

Man whose parents were murdered by Hamas on October 7 says: We are on precipice of global war— Peace is possible

Full Disclosure live on stage with James O'Brien and Carol Vorderman: Buy your tickets here

Full Disclosure live on stage with James O'Brien and Carol Vorderman: Buy your tickets here

Exclusive
The Conservative Party Conference this year is more notable for who's not there than who is, both journalistically and possibly politically, says James O'Brien

After 14 years in power, Tories can't dodge responsibility for their mess, says James O'Brien

An LBC caller shared the shocking moment she discovered child sex abuse images on her ex-husband's computer

LBC caller shares harrowing moment she discovered child sex abuse images on ex-husband’s computer

Exclusive
'Messing with kids minds in a big way': Tony Blair calls for social media regulation as he admits 'we can't go on like this'

'Messing with kids' minds': Tony Blair calls for greater social media regulation, admitting: 'we can't go on like this'

Londoners to question the Mayor at annual State of London Debate with LBC

Londoners to question the Mayor at annual State of London Debate with LBC

Sacked borders watchdog David Neal said the Home Office is 'dysfunctional' and needs reform.

'It goes to the very top': Sacked border watchdog slams Home Office and calls for reform after Cleverly row

Exclusive
Shahd Waleed is trying to leave Rafah with her parents and enter Egypt

'They want us to experience pain': Young woman trapped in Rafah with her parents tells of terror as Israel invasion looms

Sir Keir Starmer has defended comments he made about Margaret Thatcher earlier this month.

Starmer defends Thatcher comments as he says he ‘completely disagrees’ with former prime minister’s politics

A caller to James O’Brien’s programme has shared footage of the extraordinary destruction done to his newly purchased property just outside of Durham.

Property investor's shock at 'unexplainable level of damage' he discovered after buying new home

Exclusive
James Cleverly replaced Suella Braverman as home secretary on Monday

'I've spent more time with James Cleverly this week than with Suella Braverman in the last year', Sadiq Khan tells LBC

James O'Brien discusses Suella Braverman's 'destructionist' leadership style with a caller

'She's a destructionist': James O'Brien caller claims Suella Braverman governs like 'a five-year-old'