Gloucester MP Richard Graham has bitten back, after Labour said he 'couldn't be bothered to show up' to a vote.

Richard Graham failed to vote for a Labour motion in the House of Commons to rescue NHS dentistry.

The motion proposed:

• 700,000 more urgent dentistry appointments

• Incentives to recruit dentists to the areas most in need

• Supervised toothbrushing in schools for three to five-year-olds

• Reform of the NHS dental contract so everyone who needs a dentist can get one

New figures revealed that, of the 10 dental surgeries who have provided a recent update in Gloucester, none are currently accepting any new adult patients.

Alex McIntyre, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Gloucester, said: "Patients in Gloucester are finding it impossible to see a dentist, with some having to resort to DIY dentistry. Yet when the chance came to do something about it, Richard Graham couldn't even be bothered to show up.

"The Conservatives think that people should be happy with the poor service we have today. Another five years of the Conservatives will see NHS dentistry gone for good.

"Labour has a plan to rescue NHS dentistry from this crisis and get patients seen on time again. We will pay for it by abolishing the non-dom tax status, because people who live and work in Britain should pay their taxes here too."

Responding to the accusations, Richard Graham said: "As soon as it became clear that dentists were choosing not to do NHS work, I focused nationally on ministers getting the NHS/ dentists contract changed and on devolving funds to local NHS (ICB) groups.

"Having achieved both these changes last year, my focus for the last few months has been (not least through the Gloucestershire MPs/ NHS group that I've chaired for four years) on what our ICB can do to expand local dentists' NHS appointments.

"In the first place, these should be for the most urgent cases and for children.

"This has led (via 111) to an additional 80 appointments a week available for surgery - I hope more before long - and the introduction of supervised tooth cleaning for three to five-year-olds offered to 16 schools and childcare settings in Gloucester, starting imminently.

"Lastly, our ICB is also starting a new First Dental Steps programme for children aged nine to 12 months to ensure good oral hygiene is taught early on.

"While there is further to go, I believe these steps, as well as the creation of a Centre for Dental Excellence to train new dentists locally, all form part of a credible plan to see real improvements to our dental service.

"I believe in working for real changes that we're beginning to deliver locally, and although many constituents are frustrated by how long this has taken, I will continue to focus on the NHS increasing dental access as quickly as possible."

Labour would fund the plan by abolishing the non-dom tax status, a tax break which allows wealthy people who live and work in Britain to pay their taxes overseas.