大象传媒

Hospitals in England are facing major disruption as junior doctors go on strike in a dispute with the government over a new contract.

It comes after talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government failed to reach agreement.

Dr Tom Dolphin, from the BMA's consultants committee, told the Daily Politics that junior doctors had been "forced" into the walkout by the government.

But Conservative MP Dr James Davies, who sits on the Commons Health Committee, said the BMA had "misled" junior doctors, and that the government had addressed the "vast majority" of concerns about the contract. The strike, he said, was "a step too far".

Dr Tom Dolphin contested: "We can't mislead our junior doctors. They're bright intelligent people, they look at the evidence and make up their own minds," adding that 98% voted in favour of the walkout.