Medical leaders warn the NHS faces a staffing squeeze as overseas doctors and nurses are deterred by racism, hostility and anti‑migrant rhetoric. A recent recruitment surge has stalled and departures are rising, threatening services, even as reliance on international medics remains high, official data suggest.
TUC chief Paul Nowak urges Starmer to make the cost‑of‑living crisis the top priority, warning disillusioned voters could turn to Reform UK and Nigel Farage if living standards don’t improve before local elections. A poll suggests most voters see this as Britain’s biggest issue.
A study finds the NHS is twice as dependent on overseas‑trained doctors as comparable Western nations, highlighting failures to recruit and retain home‑grown medics. Recommendations include expanding training places, improving pay and conditions, and boosting retention.
Ministers plan a voluntary Army gap‑year for under‑25s from March 2026. Paid recruits receive basic training and life skills, with an option to leave or progress to service and operations. Starting with 150 places and modelled on Australia’s scheme, it aims to boost recruitment to over 1,000 a year.
DVLA-registered suppliers are reportedly selling number plates that evade ANPR, with up to one in 15 cars affected. Ministers are warned a regulatory loophole lets criminals and unscrupulous drivers avoid detection, posing a serious security and enforcement risk.
Global dealmaking hit about $4.5tn, the second-highest year on record. Cheap finance, boardroom confidence and US tax and regulatory shifts fuelled megadeals, lifting investment bank fees. Activity was led by US buyers, with technology, healthcare and energy among key sectors.
Over 8,000 prisoners were released early before Christmas under Labour’s scheme, figures show, including thousands serving two years or more and some with sentences exceeding 14 years. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick says they should still be in custody and criticises the policy.
Oxford scientists are developing a vaccine to train the immune system to detect abnormal cells, aiming to prevent a broad range of cancers. Early findings are positive, with hopes for availability within a decade, pending rigorous trials and regulatory approval.
The King and Prince of Wales are preparing US visits to support government efforts to secure a UK–US trade deal with President Trump. Timed around America’s 250th anniversary and the 2026 World Cup, the push seeks to ease disputes over tech, food and online rules and win better access for British exporters.