Public support for nurses’ strike piles pressure on Sunak and divides Tories

Observer poll shows 60% of public back strike, with some Conservatives urging PM to give ground to nurses while others demand he hold firm

Public support for striking nurses has increased over the past fortnight, a poll for the Observer has revealed, as ministers vow to stand firm against any increased pay offer ahead of further NHS walkouts.

With pressure growing within the Conservative party and among NHS bosses for Rishi Sunak to find a compromise, the latest Opinium poll shows that after the strike by tens of thousands of nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Thursday - the first such action in NHS history - nurses retain significant public support. Three fifths (60%) of voters said they support nurses going on strike for two days in December, up three points on the last poll a fortnight ago. Some 29% were opposed, down one point.