Junior doctors will be "responsible" if patients die because of the first all-out strike in NHS history because they made the decision to withdraw care, the Health Secretary has said.
As thousands of doctors walked out this morning, Jeremy Hunt said that the reaction to the new contract he seeks to impose to gear up to a seven-day NHS had not been "proportionate".
When asked on Sky News if would have to take some responsibility if a patient died because of industrial action he said: "The people who are responsible for what is happening are the people who chose to strike."
Mr Hunt said he had no regrets in taking on the junior doctors as part of the Government's manifesto pledge to deliver a seven-day NHS, but admitted on Radio 4's Today Programme that Health Secretary would likely be his "last big job" in politics.
However, he earlier insisted that the Prime Minister had not had any issues with the way he had handled the negotiations.
Medics have withdrawn emergency care from 8am until 5pm today and tomorrow, despite a last-minute plea from Mr Hunt for doctors not to withdraw emergency cover.
The industrial action will see junior doctors refusing A&E care for the first time, in a move Mr Hunt said puts "lives at risk".
Junior doctors have been told by union leaders that NHS trusts and hospitals will be responsible for what happens to patients and not individual medics.
Hospitals across England have been finalising plans for dealing with the walkout and the NHS has cancelled 125,000 operations and appointments in preparation.
Junior doctors have accused Mr Hunt of being "afraid to debate in public" the issues raised by a new contract, which they say he is seeking to "force down their throats".
Medics are unhappy with Government proposals to impose the contract, which the Government says is designed to gear the NHS up for seven-day care.
Junior doctors say the Government is stretching resources too thinly and should invest in more staff - although the Government has pledged to train 11,000 more doctors by 2020.
Doctors are concerned they will be under pressure to work longer hours, although the contract reduces the working week, risking patient safety.
Mr Hunt said that no "trade union has the right to veto a manifesto promise (seven-day NHS) voted for by the British people".
The BMA has defended the walkout, arguing that it would have called off the strike if Mr Hunt agreed to lift his threat to impose the contract.
Mr Hunt's counterpart in the shadow cabinet, Heidi Alexander, accused him of "looking for a fight" and claimed the way the Government had handled the dispute was the political equivalent of "pouring oil on to a blazing fire".
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