Hunt signals the end of National Insurance

Good evening. Jeremy Hunt today signalled a future Tory government could look to abolish National Insurance entirely. The Chancellor said during his Budget address that “the way we tax people’s income is particularly unfair”.

Elsewhere, Nikki Haley has announced the suspension of her presidential campaign.

Hunt signals the end of National Insurance

Mr Hunt confirmed that National Insurance will be cut by 2p from April in a move that will save the average worker £450. But he signalled he wanted to go further in the future to create a “simpler, fairer” tax system. Read Jeremy Warner’s analysis of the Budget here.

Nikki Haley channels Thatcher as she quits US presidential race

Nikki Haley invoked Margaret Thatcher and refused to endorse Donald Trump as she quit the presidential race. After a bruising defeat in the Super Tuesday primaries, the former US Ambassador said she had “no regrets” as she suspended her campaign. Follow the story live.

Russian missile lands near cars carrying Zelensky to Greek PM

A convoy carrying Volodymyr Zelensky was nearly struck by a Russian missile in the southern city of Odesa on Wednesday, according to reports. The strike landed a short distance from his motorcade, which was travelling to meet a Greek delegation.

Evening Briefing: Today’s essential headlines

Conservative Party | Penny Mordaunt has overtaken Kemi Badenoch to top the Cabinet popularity rankings among a panel of grassroots Tory Party activists.

Comment and analysis

Ben Wilkinson | Jeremy Hunt has just stuck two fingers up at pensioners

Kathleen Stock | The trans activist house of cards ought to be collapsing

Richard Kemp | It’s hard to admit, but Macron is beating Britain on Ukraine

Janet Daley | Jeremy Hunt doesn’t understand the value of tax cuts

Helena Morrissey | Fewer young people would subscribe to ‘generation sick note’ if we gave them something to work for

World news: Rust trial expert witness ‘points gun at judge’

A witness in the trial of the weapons supervisor for Alec Baldwin’s Rust film was challenged by the prosecution for “pointing a gun at the judge”.

Feature of the day

‘I paid someone to find me the perfect Airbnb – it was heaven’

Feeling overwhelmed by choice, our writer took a new tactic to plan a week’s holiday in Seville.

Business news: Builder layoffs hit highest level since lockdown in protracted housing downturn

Construction companies shed more jobs in February than at any point since November 2020 as builders scrambled to cut costs, blaming low levels of new work and high wage bills.

Live markets news: Budget 2024: FTSE stocks leap after Hunt unveils Great British Isa