Yesterday Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was bitterly critical of the junior doctor’s rejection of the latest employment deal. He claimed the result was undemocratic, saying: “The BMA’s figures show that only 40% of those eligible actually voted against this contract, and a third of BMA members didn’t vote at all.” 

Mr Hunt’s Government was elected by only 24% of those eligible to vote and a third of the electorate didn’t vote al all.

So it’s democratic when a Government is elected with 24% of those eligible to vote and it then imposes an unpopular contract on junior doctors but undemocratic when 40% of those doctors vote against it. Hmmmm.