Trump's hopes turn to 'skinny bill' as key pledge wobbles

In an increasingly attritional attempt to stay true to his campaign pledge of repealing and replacing his predecessor Barack Obama’s signature health policy, US President Donald Trump has suffered another setback.

Mr Trump’s Republican party had proposed a measure that would repeal large parts of Obamacare without providing a replacement, but this was voted down by the Senate on Wednesday night, with seven Republican Senators joining with Democrats to defeat it.

The setback follows Tuesday’s step forward for Mr Trump’s administration as Senators voted to debate the issue of replacing Obamacare, formerly known as the Affordable Care Act, albeit needing the decisive vote of Vice President Mike Pence.