Father of militant medic behind damaging NHS junior doctors’ strike blasts walkout as son jets off on holiday

THE father of a militant medic behind the ­damaging NHS junior doctors’ strike last night blasted the walkout.

Ian Laurenson, 69, said he was “on the other side” to Dr Rob Laurenson, 29, and is “surprised” by his son’s key role in the union demanding a 35 per cent pay rise.

PA

Criticism of the trainee GP has mounted after his decision to go on holiday while colleagues have stood on picket lines[/caption]

It came as criticism of the trainee GP mounted following his decision to go on holiday for a week while his colleagues stood on the picket lines in their 96-hour national strike.

While they lose out on pay, ex-public schoolboy Dr Laurenson, co-chairman of the British Medical Association union’s junior doctors committee, will not as he has taken annual leave.

His dad, a former business consultant of Orpington, South East London, said of his son and the strike: “We have a conflict of interest because we’re taxpayers — customers of the NHS — and he’s on the other side, wanting more money.

“It was a bit of a surprise to us when he stood for election. He’s not been known as some sort of militant anarchist and red in the bed.” 

Dr Laurenson, who went to a £46,566-a-year private school, studied medicine at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

As a GP registrar, he gets around £40,000 a year after completing basic training, rising to £55,000 as experience is gained. Announcing the strike, he said: “We are not going to stop until we are paid what we are worth.

“If ministers don’t accept that when we tell them in person, we will have to tell them from the picket line.” 

The union boss, who lives in London, has since skipped off to go to a friend’s wedding. The BMA said it was a “long-standing commitment”. It added: “He remains actively involved in the planning of the dispute.”

Tory MP Paul Bristow slammed the medic for asking BMA members to sacrifice their wages when he was not doing the same. He said: “Rob Laurenson should be back at his desk trying to negotiate a deal for his members rather than skiving on holiday.”

In a sign last night that the doctors could soften their pay demand, senior BMA medic Professor Philip Banfield said it was a “misleading assumption that this figure cannot be discussed”.