BBC Question Time: Striking Junior Doctors Should Be Arrested, Says Angry Exeter Woman

'They do 79 hours because of pressure at the weekends to get more money.'

A 'Question Time' audience member's call for striking junior doctors to be arrested was met with jeers and shocks of disbelief from fellow attendees. 

The woman caused controversy when she attacked NHS workers for staging strikes over a new contract, saying for them it was "all about the money".

She rebutted suggestions that junior doctors work long hours at weekend because of staff shortages, saying that they did it simply for financial gain. 

"They do 79 hours because of pressure at the weekends to get more money," the angry audience member began. Fending off heckles from fellow attendees she continued: "I'm sorry, it is true. It's because they want overtime."

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On junior doctors' strikes: 'It's all about money and it's wrong'
BBC

"Nobody can force anybody to do over the 50 hours a week - they choose to physically do it.

"They put patients at risk themselves. I'm sorry - it's all about money and it's wrong."

Despite angry interjections from locals, the woman continued, calling for junior doctors be sacked for exercising their right to strike. 

"Anybody who goes AWOL and doesn't turn up for a shift when they go on strike should be sacked.

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No-one seemed to share her enthusiasm for the idea
BBC

"If you was in the military you'd get arrested for going AWOL. They know, the NHS don't want them going off work they are technically going AWOL, they are not turning up for their shifts. 

"Making people anxious by cancelling appointments it's their choice. I'm sorry, any other person in any other job would get sack for doing that."

Elsewhere in the programme that aired on Thursday night, Jeremy Hunt got roundly derided by the audience - despite not actually appearing on the panel. 

Asked what the health secretary should do to avoid an all-out strike by junior doctors, one anonymous audience heckler shouted "resign", to rapturous applause.