Junior doctors have received the support of an MP after they went on strike again today over pay and extended working hours.

Doctors striking over new contracts proposed by the government were joined at the picket lines outside Chase Farm by Enfield North MP Joan Ryan.

The Labour politician gave her support to the protestors, saying she felt the plans being put forward by the Department of Health were "outrageous".

Ms Ryan said: “It is clearer than ever that you have the public’s support.

"It is suggested that the NHS runs a seven day service with no extra doctors or pay – everyone can work out what that means.

“We already have a health crisis on Enfield, with the A&E department closed at Chase Farm and the others not coming up to standard. Stretching our junior doctors even further will only make things worse.”

The strikes took place after talks between government officials and the British Medical Association broke down.

Dr Holly Greer, who works in mental health at Chase Farm, said they had been left with no choice but to strike over proposals to alter safeguards preventing doctors working unsafe numbers of hours, and “unfair” levels of pay.

She said: “The BMA have always pushed for renegotiations, but now the government are threatening to push this contract onto us in a few months’ time. It is very difficult to come to the negotiation table with a gun to our heads.

“Safeguards that protect us from being overworked will be replaced with a new scheme where there is an appointed ‘guardian’ that oversees us and makes sure we don’t work too long. There have been no assurances as to how this is going to work in practice – it would be a return to the bad old days of doctors being overworked and patients being put in danger.

“We put our heart and soul into the NHS, but having to work with this hanging over us is incredibly stressful. We are being pushed to breaking point.”