Times attack on Dr Emma Runswick
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She’s the public face of the proposed junior doctors’ strike who has described herself as “unashamedly socialist”.
She’s the public face of the proposed junior doctors’ strike who has described herself as “unashamedly socialist”. And for Dr Emma Runswick, the British Medical Association’s (BMA) deputy chairwoman of council, left-wing activism certainly seems to run in the family.
And for Dr Emma Runswick, the British Medical Association’s (BMA) deputy chairman of council, left-wing activism certainly seems to run in the family.
Dr Runswick, who said on Sunday that it was “very likely” medics would vote in favour of industrial action, is the daughter of Jeremy Corbyn-backing trade union activists.
Runswick, who has said that it is “very likely” medics would vote in favour of industrial action, is the daughter of Jeremy Corbyn-backing trade union activists.
The junior doctor, who works in the north west, is the daughter of Kathy Runswick, the former chair of the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party (CLP).
In 2016 Kathy Runswick’s CLP was embroiled in a row with Angela Eagle, the Labour MP, over bullying and homophobia claims.
The junior doctor works in the northwest and is the daughter of Kathy Runswick, a former chairwoman of the Wallasey Constituency Labour Party (CLP).
The Wallasey MP faced unrest in her constituency after indicating that she would challenge the then Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Eagle, a lesbian, claimed she faced homophobic abuse at a CLP meeting as a result. A window was also smashed at Eagle’s constituency office building.
In 2016 Kathy Runswick’s CLP was embroiled in a row with Angela Eagle, the Labour MP, over bullying and homophobia claims. The Wallasey MP faced unrest in her constituency after indicating that she would challenge Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership.
Dr Runswick wrote a piece for the New Statesman magazine about her Momentum-supporting mother and father following the claims, describing how she came out to them at 13.
She wrote: “Throughout the abuse and ignorance from others, my parents were behind me.
Eagle claimed she faced homophobic abuse at a CLP meeting as a result. A window was smashed at Eagle’s constituency office building.
“When my school banned me and my girlfriend from each other’s form rooms in response to a parent complaint, and I couldn’t face the fight, I had to stop them going in all guns blazing in my defence.
Runswick wrote a piece for the New Statesman magazine about her Momentum-supporting mother and father, describing how she came out to them at 13.
“When I wanted to support a transgender student, they helped me navigate the bullying report system, and held me when I cried in frustration.
“As trade union reps, my parents explained all the legislation, we talked about the Equality Act and the protection it gave me and other LGBTQ people.
She wrote: “Throughout the abuse and ignorance from others, my parents were behind me. When my school banned me and my girlfriend from each other’s form rooms in response to a parent complaint, and I couldn’t face the fight, I had to stop them going in all guns blazing in my defence.
“There is zero tolerance of homophobia in Wallasey CLP. My mother would come down on it like a tonne of bricks. My dad, a branch delegate, would do the same.
“I don’t believe anybody in Wallasey CLP, Corbyn supporters or otherwise, would allow homophobic abuse or gesture to go unchallenged in any meeting.”
“When I wanted to support a transgender student, they helped me navigate the bullying report system, and held me when I cried in frustration. As trade union reps, my parents explained all the legislation, we talked about the Equality Act and the protection it gave me and other LGBTQ people.
Dr Runswick’s dad, Alan, was a member of the Public and Commercial Services Union and also vice chair of the Wallasey CLP’s membership team.
“There is zero tolerance of homophobia in Wallasey CLP. My mother would come down on it like a tonne of bricks. My dad, a branch delegate, would do the same. I don’t believe anybody in Wallasey CLP, Corbyn supporters or otherwise, would allow homophobic abuse or gesture to go unchallenged in any meeting.”
Runswick’s father, Alan, was a member of the Public and Commercial Services Union and also vice-chairman of the Wallasey CLP’s membership team.
Wallasey CLP was suspended until May 2017 following Eagle’s claims. In February 2017, Kathy Runswick was cleared of allegations of bullying and intimidation, the BBC reported.
Wallasey CLP was suspended until May 2017 following Eagle’s claims. In February 2017, Kathy Runswick was cleared of allegations of bullying and intimidation, the BBC reported.
Dr Runswick has now followed her parents into trade union activism.
She is a part of a ‘Broad Left’ collective of hard-left union activists and is also a member of Doctors in Unite and the Labour Party.
Runswick has now followed her parents into trade union activism. She is a part of a “Broad Left” collective of hard-left union activists and is also a member of Doctors in Unite and the Labour Party.
On the website for the Broad Left in the BMA, she says: “For a fighting union. For pay and pension restoration. Unashamedly socialist.”
On the website for the Broad Left in the BMA, she says: “For a fighting union. For pay and pension restoration. Unashamedly socialist.”
On Twitter she has railed against the “repeat attacks against trans people by press and Tories”, claiming it is part of a “culture war they have chosen to promote election chances”.
On Twitter she has railed against the “repeat attacks against trans people by press and Tories”, claiming it is part of a “culture war they have chosen to promote election chances”. She has tweeted: “Make no mistake, the transphobes and Tories are hostile to all of us!”
She has tweeted: “Make no mistake, the transphobes and Tories are hostile to all of us!”
Runswick told Sky News on Sunday that the pay of junior doctors had not kept up with inflation, as the union calls for pay increases of 26 per cent.
Runswick told Sky News on Sunday that the pay of junior doctors had not kept up with inflation, as the union calls for pay increases of 26 per cent.
Asked if the January ballot would back strikes, she said: “I think it’s likely unless the government is willing to negotiate with us about pay.” “It’s in the Government’s gift to negotiate,” she said.
On the 26 per cent rise, she added: “It’s only as steep as the money that has been cut from us. It’s only as steep as the money that we’ve lost.
Asked if the ballot, starting today, would back strikes, she said: “I think it’s likely unless the government is willing to negotiate with us about pay.” “It’s in the government’s gift to negotiate,” she said. “We’ve had pay cuts for junior doctors of 26.1 per cent since 2008. And over a quarter of our pay has been lost, and this year again, we’ve received a two per cent pay rise, which is about 10 per cent less than inflation — that’s another month working for free compared to last year. We will continue to seek restoration of the losses that we’ve had.”
“We’ve had pay cuts for junior doctors of 26.1 per cent since 2008.
“And over a quarter of our pay has been lost, and this year again, we’ve received a two per cent pay rise, which is about 10 per cent less than inflation — that’s another month working for free compared to last year.
“We will continue to seek restoration of the losses that we’ve had.”
Junior doctors took part in four waves of strike action in 2016.
Junior doctors took part in four waves of strike action in 2016.
Dr Philip Banfield, the BMA chair of council, was pictured on the picket line supporting striking nurses this week.
He tweeted: “Keeping up spirits on the @RCNWales picket…such great nurses, so deserving of support for fair pay to provide the care they have been trained to give.”
Dr Banfield was elected as chair in the summer, taking over from Dr Chaand Nagpaul.
BMA accounts show that the chair took home a salary package worth £202,484 in 2021.
The sum includes the costs incurred through their responsibilities at a practice or in a hospital being covered by additional staff, while they are working for the BMA.
The BMA declined to comment last night.