TORY ministers are in denial about both the anger of nursing staff and the public support they have, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) charged today ahead of what could be the biggest-ever strike by its members.

The union is due to unveil the results of its national ballot, which ended last week, in the next few days.

With voting papers still being counted, RCN sources have told the BBC that it looks like a large majority of nurses have voted in favour of walkouts following years of plummeting take-home pay.