The public increasingly blame both the Government and doctors for the junior doctors' strike as the all-out stoppage goes into its second day, new polling suggests.

A survey by Ipsos MORI for the BBC released at the start of the strike found that 54 per cent of the public blame only the Government for the dispute's continuation, compared with 64 per cent in January.

The protracted row has led to both sides being increasingly seen as to blame, with the proportion who blame only doctors also falling from 13 per cent to 8 per cent.

Those who blame both sides is up sharply from 17 per cent to 35 per cent, however.

There is so far little public appetite for escalating the dispute further. A YouGov poll for The Times newspaper found that around 60 per cent of voters believe it would be wrong to strike indefinitely, with around a quarter backing the move.

Today’s strike is part of the first all-out stoppage to include NHS emergency medical care – previous strikes have left A&E rooms in place.

David Cameron yesterday told ITV News it was “not right” for junior doctors to go on strike, while Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said doctors would be responsible for any patient deaths.

The Health Secretary showed no signs of conciliatory language, describing the strike as a “very, very bleak day for the NHS”, as junior doctors walked out of emergency rooms for the first time in NHS history.

In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Doctor in acute medicine, Melissa Haskins, holds up a 'I ain't afraid of no Hunt' sign whilst striking with other junior doctors outside her hospital, St Thomas' Hospital in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Accident and emergency junior doctor, Jennifer Hulse, holds a homemade placard outside St Thomas' Hospital as she strikes with colleagues in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Demonstrators and Junior doctors hold placards as they protest outside the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke during a strike by junior doctors Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Demonstrators and Junior doctors hold placards as they protest outside the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, in Basingstoke during a strike by junior doctors Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike A supporter displays a slogan on her bag during a junior doctors' strike outside St Thomas' Hospital in London Reuters In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike The picket line outside King's College Hospital in London PA In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike The picket line outside King's College Hospital in London, as thousands of junior doctors begun the first all-out strike in the history of the NHS after the Health Secretary said the Government would not be "blackmailed" into dropping its manifesto pledge for a seven-day health service PA In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Junior doctors and supporters take part in a strike outside the Royal United Hospital in Bath Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Doctor in acute medicine, Melissa Haskins, holds up a 'I ain't afraid of no Hunt' sign whilst striking with other junior doctors outside her hospital, St Thomas' Hospital in London Getty Images In pictures: Junior doctors first all-out strike Dave Prentis, UNISON general secretary visits a British Medical Association picket line at Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, to show support for striking junior doctors on the second day of the union's annual health conference PA

Mr Hunt has said he will unilaterally introduce a new contract for junior doctors. The medics say the policy will put patient safety at risk by incentivising unsafe shift patterns.

The Health Secretary says the contract will help improve NHS care at weekends. Both Mr Hunt’s proposals and those of the British Medical Association are cost-neutral.

Junior doctors accuse Jeremy Hunt of handling contract crisis 'absolutely abysmally'

The BMA stressed yesterday that emergency care would still be available – but provided by senior doctors.

Junior doctors walked off the job at 8am on Tuesday and returned at 5pm in the evening; they have done the same on Wednesday.

Statistics from NHS England on Tuesday showed that 78 per cent of junior doctors did not attend work on the first day of the all-out stoppage.