Health secretary tells striking nurses patients will pay the price

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( January 18, 2023 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Health secretary tells striking NHS nurses: Take the money and patients will pay the price]( Patients will suffer if ministers bow to nurses’ demands for pay rises, the health secretary has warned as tens of thousands of NHS staff prepare to walk out on Wednesday. Writing exclusively in The Independent, Steve Barclay said any boost to wages would “take billions of pounds away from where we need it most”. But the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has criticised him for “pitting nurses against patients”, branding the comments “a new low for the health secretary”. An RCN spokesperson said: “Patient care is suffering because his government cut nurses’ wages for over a decade, causing record nursing vacancies in the NHS. Paying nurses fairly and patient care go hand in hand.”   [2 / Fresh snow and ice warnings as freezing temperatures could last several days]( Icy weather could linger into next week in England and Wales 3 / [Microsoft reportedly laying off thousands of staff this week]( About 5 per cent of Microsoft’s existing workforce may be laid off [4 / Inflation falls again to 10.5% as petrol prices drop]( Falling fuel prices helped UK inflation ease back again 5 / [Prankster claims responsibility for sex noises on BBC Liverpool Wolves FA cup coverage]( Kremlin insists new supplies would not change situation on ground     The Big Question What is Orthrus? New Covid Omicron variant behind quarter of UK cases New [Covid-19]( variant Orthrus accounts for around one-quarter of all cases in [England](, data shows. The sub-lineage of the [Omicron]( variant, known as CH.1.1, is one of the most likely to take over from currently dominant BQ.1, according to the UK Health Security Agency ([UKHSA](). Since the first cases of the new variant emerged in November it spread to account for 23.1 per cent of all cases in England by 1 January, the latest UKHSA figures show – though sequencing suggests it could make up as much as 100 per cent in some areas. The figures for that week suggest Orthrus accounted for around 8,700 cases, though officials warn variant estimates are uncertain. Orthrus, along with the [Kraken, or XBB.1.5](, variant are thought to be moving towards dominance in Britain – though neither have been classed as being “of concern”. [For the full story click here >](   Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our [welcome offer when you join today](. Watch/ [Greta Thunberg carried out and detained by German police at protest](   NUMBER OF THE DAY 330,000 – Boris Johnson has struck a deal with publisher HarperCollins to write a memoir that publishing sources say will earn him more than £6m. [Read more here](   QUOTE OF THE DAY “If we had one wish, it would be that we could turn back time and allow everyone who had a part in the events leading up to this tragedy an opportunity to make changes to prevent it from happening at all.” – The family of gunman [Jake Davison]( have spoken of their devastation that he killed five people – including his own mother – and wished they could turn back time to prevent the tragedy from happening, an inquest heard. [Read more here](     Other stories you might like   [Experts reveal why your winter cough lasted longer this year](   [No disciplinary action for officers who allowed serial rapist David Carrick to remain in force](   [‘For her, it’s a liberation’: World’s oldest person dies in her sleep](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers Sean O’Grady - [How will constitutional showdown over gender laws play out?](   Other newsletters you might like [The Race Report] The Race Report Fortnightly, 7am (UK time) Written by Nadine White [Sign up]( [Inside Politics] Inside Politics Weekdays, 8am (UK time) Written by Matt Mathers [Sign up](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.