Ambulance strikes Yorkshire: 'Nah then Rishi' - Striking Yorkshire ambulance staff send message to Prime Minister

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service branch of Unison posted an image of one of their ambulances with a huge sign draped over the side. Written in blue ink on the huge white sheet it says: “Nah then Rishi we’ll belt up when you pay up!! #fundthenhs #seatbeltssavelives.”

The message comes after Rishi Sunak was given a fine by Lancashire Constabulary on Friday after he was spotted not wearing his seatbelt in an Instagram video filmed to promote levelling-up funding during a visit to the North West a day earlier.

Asked on Monday during a visit to Berrywood Hospital in Northampton whether he would personally apologise for not wearing a seatbelt, Mr Sunak said: “Yes, I regret not wearing a seatbelt. It was a mistake and that is why I apologised straight away.”

It is the second fixed penalty notice he has received in less than a year, which his critics have looked to capitalise on. He paid one as chancellor, alongside Boris Johnson, as part of the police investigation into Downing Street parties held during the Covid pandemic.

Meanwhile, thousands of ambulance staff members across Yorkshire and beyond are staging their latest strike today over pay. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt was told he can halt industrial action and begin solving the staffing emergency if he comes up with new money to pay health workers "fairly".

But Unison warned Mr Hunt that if he continues to resist appeals to release extra cash and kickstart talks with unions to end the strikes, the NHS dispute could run for many months.

From 7am this morning, paramedics, emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians, other 999 crew members and control room staff across five services in England - London, Yorkshire, the North West, North East and South West - joined picket lines.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said: "The solution to the growing NHS crisis is staring the Government in the face. It's simple, all the Chancellor needs to do is find the money to pay health workers fairly."