Badenoch accused of U-turn after she pledges to bring back tourism VAT refund scheme she scrapped – UK politics live

Tory scrapped the scheme which allowed overseas visitors tax-free shopping when she was a Treasury minister Ed Davey has claimed this morning that NHS maternity services are in crisis. He did so as the Liberal Democrats released figures which they said showed “the risk of life-altering childbirth injuries has reached a record high in 2026”. Explaining the figures in a news release, the Lib Dems said: NHS data analysed by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that 3 in every 100 women undergoing a vaginal birth now suffer severe 3rd or 4th-degree tears. These are agonising injuries so profound that patients must be rushed to an operating theatre for surgical repair. The rate of these severe tears has surged by 29% since 2021.

The crisis extends to life-threatening postpartum haemorrhages, with 2026 recording peak rates of severe bleeds involving a blood loss of more than 1. 5 litres. The most recent quarter (April-June) had the highest level ever recorded – at 32. 7 women per thousand. More than 8,000 women have been recorded as suffering these severe bleeds since the start of the year, more than double the number recorded over the equivalent period in 2021. These figures are a devastating indictment of our NHS maternity services. Thousands of women are being left alone during labour, terrified and exposed to life-altering trauma – because severe staffing shortages and missing consultants have pushed wards to breaking point. The government cannot turn a blind eye to this national safety scandal. Every mother deserves safe, compassionate care when bringing a child into the world. The health secretary must act now – with the staffing, training and resources maternity wards…