The Health Secretary has warned that a resident doctors’ strike over Christmas would have a “much different degree of risk” than previous walkouts, adding that he “cannot think of a single other trade union in this country that would behave this way”.

Wes Streeting said he offered to extend the British Medical Association’s (BMA) strike mandate if it called off the action and called the union’s decision not to take it up “inexplicable”.

He also told MPs the Government “cannot guarantee” that the NHS will maintain 95% of elective activity again if strikes go ahead.

It comes as the number of people in hospital with flu in England is at a record level for this time of year.

Making a statement to the Commons, Mr Streeting said: “Frontline staff and NHS leaders have done a superb job in man

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