The former Labour leader endorsed the industrial action amid a pay dispute between the Government and NHS workers. Ministers have pledged to give nurses a three percent pay rise this year.

       The Government had originally offered a one percent increase but upped the amount following after three percent was recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review Body.

       Other public sector workers have had their pay frozen due to the pandemic.

       However, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union has criticised the rise.

       They are demanding a 12.5 percent hike in wages.

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       Demonstrations are being held across the country in protest.

       The RCN will ballot members next month on whether to accept the pay offer.

       On the prospect of striking, Mr Corbyn said: "They have my 100 percent support."

       Officials say the pay rise on offer equates to an additional ￡1,000 a year for the average nurse.

       The extra sum is expected to be around ￡540 for cleaners and porters.

       Pat Cullen, general secretary of the RCN, said "the campaign won’t stop until nursing is respected and protected".

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       She added: "This award will not be enough to prevent an exodus of exhausted NHS nursing staff.

       "If ministers ignore the voice of nursing, they ignore the voice of patients – and that is something that we, as nurses, will never allow."

       Unison General Secretary Christina McAnea added: "Ministers could have paid up last year if they really valued the NHS.

       "Instead, staff have been made to hang on until the summer – long after their wage rise was due."

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       Strike action would likely hit the NHS hard while hundreds continue to be admitted to hospital every day with Covid.

       Official figures indicate there were 932 new coronavirus hospital admissions yesterday.

       Over 6,000 Britons are on NHS wards with the virus in total.

       There are 853 Covid patients on ventilation.

       Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said the three percent rise reflects the hard work done by the NHS during the pandemic while also taking account of the difficult financial situation.

       "NHS staff are rightly receiving a pay rise this year despite the wider public sector pay pause, in recognition of their extraordinary efforts,” Mr Javid said.

       "We will back the NHS as we focus our efforts on getting through this pandemic and tackling the backlog of other health problems that has built up.

       "I will continue to do everything I can to support all those in our health service who are working so tirelessly to care for patients."