The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt acknowledged junior doctors' low morale but told Andrew Marr that the British Medical Association was to blame for their concerns over contracts.

Mr Hunt said the BMA was behaving in a "totally irresponsible way" and accused the union of "spreading misinformation".

BMA junior doctors committee chair Johann Malawana said the union had negotiated in good faith with the Government over the past few months but had seen "no willingness on their part to move on a core issue for junior doctors".