Markus Andrews

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    NHS dentistry facing ‘existential crisis’ with more practices going private amid tax hike

    Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreEngland’s dentists warn that without a serious increase in government funding and an overhaul of contracts, NHS dentistry could cease to exist when the April tax hike forcing more practices to go private to make ends meet.Shiv Pabary, chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee, said: “The future of NHS dentistry is in [Chancellor] Rachel Reeves’s hands”.Dr Pabary said dentists have been struggling for years to and cover rapidly rising costs with no substantial increase to NHS funding, and April’s increase to National Insurance contributions could force many more dentists to abandon NHS dentistry altogether.“It’s going to be horrendous for many practices,” he said. “And it’s a political choice, it really is, if they want NHS dentistry to exist. Because genuinely, I’ve been in this for 40 years, I think it faces an existential crisis.”It comes as the Liberal Democrats urged the government to exempt the health and social care sector from the National Insurance contribution increase coming in April, saying pharmacists, dentists and other health and care providers will face a combined £3 billion tax hike in the next financial year.The number of dentists providing NHS services is falling More

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    Whitehall departments ‘asked to reveal lowest priority spending’ ahead of Reeves’ planned cuts

    Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreGovernment departments have reportedly been asked to identify 20 per cent of their lowest priority spending areas as Rachel Reeves eyes up billions of pounds in cuts ahead of the Spring Statement.The chancellor presented earmarked savings to the government’s spending watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), on Wednesday before she delivers her statement on 26 March. Treasury sources have said several factors have impacted plans presented under Ms Reeves’ October budget, with increased borrowing costs and weak economic growth likely to require further spending cuts in order to meet commitments on managing the public finances.Curbing the cost of welfare and a drive for greater efficiency across Whitehall are expected to contribute the bulk of the savings.Chancellor Rachel Reeves is likely to cut the cost of welfare to help manage public finances (Yui Mok/PA) More

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    Tory peers compare case of Baroness Meyer ‘Lord Poppadom’ slur to playground argument

    Two Conservative peers have compared the case of Baroness Meyer, who twice called a British-Asian peer “Lord Poppadom”, to a playground argument.Debating a motion to remove the entitlement of members of either House to bring a complaint of harassment against a peer, former Tory Cabinet minister Lord Lilley said on Wednesday (5 March): “Surely the presumption is that we are old enough and sensible enough to deal with offensive remarks made by other colleagues without running off to teacher and saying ‘please miss, please miss, Ginny insulted me on the playground’.”Fellow Tory peer Lord Balfe said: “I was appalled by the report on Baroness Meyer, where really it seemed that a playground scrap had been elevated into a great controversy.” More

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    Rishi Sunak opens up on his biggest parenting ‘fail’ to Nick Robinson

    Former prime minister Rishi Sunak has revealed one of his biggest parenting “fails” to BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson.The former Tory leader appeared on Mr Robinson’s Political Thinking podcast, which was broadcast on Wednesday evening (5 March).After reflecting on his time as prime minister, Mr Sunak admitted he was “excited about this next chapter of my life” and also revealed he is enjoying spending time with his two teenage daughters.He told Mr Robinson: “I have failed to get my girls into football and Star Wars. I am having one last effort at cricket.“You are more likely to find me at a cosmetic skin care counter of Boots these days.” More

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    Rishi Sunak explains how he coped with constant criticism of own wealth when prime minister

    Rishi Sunak has explained how he coped with constant criticism about his own wealth when he was prime minister.The former Tory leader was repeatedly accused of being “out of touch” with the cost of living crisis because of his wealth, during his time at No 10 Downing Street.Mr Sunak addressed the criticism he received when he appeared on Political Thinking with Nick Robinson on Wednesday (5 March).He said: “You have got to have an inner confidence about who you are. “My background and values are more important.” More

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    Starmer’s approval rating hits six-month high as Trump drags down Farage’s popularity

    Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreKeir Starmer’s intense round of diplomacy on Ukraine over the past week has seen him rewarded with his highest poll ratings in six months, according to YouGov.Conversely, anger over Donald Trump’s behaviour appears to have hit his closest ally in the UK Nigel Farage, whose own favourability score went down four points from 30 per cent to 26 per cent.The prime minister jetted to Washington DC where he won plaudits for his handling of Donald Trump, before warmly welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street after Ukraine’s president left the White House after angry scenes with Trump and JD Vance in the Oval Office.Sir Keir Starmer met with Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukranian president left the White House following a breakdown in talks with Donald Trump (Justin Tallis/PA) More

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    Churchill’s grandson says Trump team ‘despises Europe’ and UK-US special relationship ‘not what it was’

    Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreSir Winston Churchill’s grandson has accused Donald Trump’s team of despising Europe after a furious row which saw vice-president JD Vance criticised for disrespecting Britain’s war dead. Conservative peer Sir Nicholas Soames, 77, told the House of Lords that the US administration “despise Europe really”.He also predicted that in future the “special relationship” between the UK and the US would not be “what it was”. “I don’t think they want it to be,” Lord Soames told the international relations and defence committee on Wednesday.Donald Trump has paid tribute to Churchill, reinstating the bust of the former prime minister in the Oval Office as one of his first acts in power upon his return to the presidential office in January.Lord Soames’s comments come after Mr Vance faced widespread condemnation for appearing to describe the UK as “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”. Lord Soames is critical of the US administration’s stance on Europe and the UK More

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    Trump’s tariff plans will hit UK economy, top economists warn

    Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreDonald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on US imports will shrink the British economy, Rachel Reeves has been warned by Britain’s top economists. In a blow for the chancellor, members of the Bank of England’s interest rate-setting committee said the implications of the US president’s plans “are fairly clear” for economic growth. “Tariffs would push down growth,” Megan Greene, an external member of the monetary policy committee told MPs on Wednesday. Donald Trump’s tariffs will hit UK economic growth More