Meanwhile, the Sunday Times reports that the nursing union leader Pat Cullen is demanding a double-digit pay rise “in a U-turn from her previous position”. In an interview with the paper, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called for the health secretary to reopen negotiations and said talks needed to begin with “double figures”. Ms Cullen had previously called for her members to accept the government’s offer of 5% – but union members rejected the deal and is preparing a ballot on further strike action.