Conservative Party Conference: British Medical Association to hold rally in Manchester as doctors strike

Members of the British Medical Association are gathering in Manchester today for a rally on the doorstep of the Conservative Party Conference. The rally comes during a time where consultants and junior doctors are taking part in strike action. 

The rally is set to take place from 1pm to 3pm today (October 3), the third day of the Tory Party Conference in Manchester. It will be attended by members from across the country, with coaches full of members coming from cities including London and Bristol. 

The BMA rally is the latest protest to take place in Manchester during the Tory party Conference being in the city. A large protest organised by the People’s Assembly made its way through the city on the opening day of the conference (October 1). 

Those attending the rally have been told to meet in St Peter’s Square at 12.30pm for the 1pm start. This may lead to some disruption for people moving around this part of the city. 

Professor Phil Banfield, the BMA chair of council, said: “Doctors are fed up with being told we are the problem with the NHS. Wanting to be valued for our expertise the same as we were in 2008 is not a radical demand; in fact, it is essential to having the workforce needed to bring down waiting times. It is not fair for the Government to continue to blame doctors or other healthcare workers for their own failure to properly resource the health service in England.

“What we see today is that the public largely sees through that excuse. Many more appointments and operations are cancelled outside the strike days because of a shortage of beds, staff or operating capacity due to the relative chronic underfunding.”

The Conservative Party Conference has been taking place at Manchester Central since October 1. The last day of the conference will be October 4 and will feature a speech from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a week where it seems the HS2 line to Manchester is set to be scrapped.