37 h. ago Musk and Trump are enemies made for each other – united in their ability to trash their own brands | Jonathan Freedland

What one did to Twitter and Tesla, the other is doing to the United States of America. Their feud is revealing a fatal flaw in the Maga projectThe scriptwriters of Trump: the Soap Opera are slipping. The latest plot development – the epic falling-out between the title character and his best buddy, Elon Musk – was so predictable, and indeed predicted, that it counts as the opposite of a twist. Still, surprise can be overrated. Watching the two men – one the richest in the world, the other the most powerful – turn on each other in a series of ever-more venomous posts on their respective social media platforms has been entertainment of the highest order. X v Truth: it could be a Marvel blockbuster.But this is more than mere popcorn fodder. Even if they eventually patch things up, the rift between the president and Musk has exposed a divide inside the contemporary right, in the US and beyond – and a fatal flaw of the Trump project.Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnistDo you have an...

Politics

40 h. ago Scottish college reviews courses after £1.3m budget cut as ‘stark consequences’ warned

Fife College’s principal has warned of the stark consequences of a review of its courses and operating model as a result of a major budget cut.

Events

64 h. ago UK sales of new Tesla cars slump by more than a third amid Musk backlash

Electric carmaker sold 36% fewer cars year on year in May as it loses ground to China’s BYD and other rivalsBusiness live – latest updatesSales of new Tesla cars slumped by more than a third in the UK last month as the electric carmaker lost ground to China’s BYD and other rivals, amid a political backlash against Tesla’s billionaire boss, Elon Musk.Tesla sold 2,016 vehicles in the UK in May, down from 3,125 in May 2024 – a 36% drop, according to the monthly snapshot from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago 2025 Tesla Model Y review: new look, smarter tech and a much smoother ride

Motoring writer Gareth Butterfield has spent a week in Tesla’s new Model Y to see if the changes have improved the world’s best selling car

Politics

8 d. ago So long, Elon: the cuts didn’t go to plan, but you completely shredded your reputation | Marina Hyde

Judging by Musk’s approval ratings, Tesla investors won’t be the only ones happy to see the dethroning of the king of DogeI can’t believe that Elon Musk is leaving Doge, the government department he named after a tired and basic meme that most of the internet had moved on from around a decade ago. “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end,” Musk wrote this week (capital letters: model’s own), “I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful government spending.” Oh man. “Thank you for the opportunity”?! At some level you have to salute Donald Trump’s ability to turn even the world’s richest man into an Apprentice candidate who leaves in week four after completely wiping out in the hotdog stand task.Musk arrived in government promising to slash spending by $2tn. He leaves it a mere $1.86tn short of that target, even by his own estimations. Meanwhile, the president’s new tax bill is set to add $2.3tn to the deficit. ...

Politics

1 week ago IMF lifts UK growth forecast for 2025; markets welcome US delay to EU 50% tariffs – as it happened

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as IMF releases latest healthcheck on UK economyRachel Reeves should ease fiscal rules to prevent emergency spending cuts, IMF saysEU hopes for quick deal to resolve US trade war after Trump delays 50% tariffsToyota to move some GR Corolla production to UK from JapanOuch! Germany’s economy is on track for its worst performance in post-war history, a new report shows.The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) predicted this morning that Europe’s largest economy will contract by 0.3% this year, Reuters reports. That would be the third annual contraction in a row, although not as bad as the 0.5% fall in GDP which the DIHK predicted back in February.“A mood of cautious relief is spreading after the long weekend, amid hopes for more fruitful trade negotiations between the United States and its global partners. There are no post bank holiday blues for the London market, with the Footsie in striking distance of the record ...

Economics

1 week ago IMF lifts UK growth forecast for 2025; markets welcome US delay to EU 50% tariffs – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as IMF releases latest healthcheck on UK economyRachel Reeves should ease fiscal rules to prevent emergency spending cuts, IMF saysEU hopes for quick deal to resolve US trade war after Trump delays 50% tariffsToyota to move some GR Corolla production to UK from JapanOuch! Germany’s economy is on track for its worst performance in post-war history, a new report shows.The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) predicted this morning that Europe’s largest economy will contract by 0.3% this year, Reuters reports. That would be the third annual contraction in a row, although not as bad as the 0.5% fall in GDP which the DIHK predicted back in February.“A mood of cautious relief is spreading after the long weekend, amid hopes for more fruitful trade negotiations between the United States and its global partners. There are no post bank holiday blues for the London market, with the Footsie in striking distance of the record ...

Economics

1 week ago UK retail confidence plummets as sales fall; markets welcome US delay to EU 50% tariffs – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsEU hopes for quick deal to resolve US trade war after Trump delays 50% tariffsToyota to move some GR Corolla production to UK from JapanOuch! Germany’s economy is on track for its worst performance in post-war history, a new report shows.The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) predicted this morning that Europe’s largest economy will contract by 0.3% this year, Reuters reports. That would be the third annual contraction in a row, although not as bad as the 0.5% fall in GDP which the DIHK predicted back in February.“A mood of cautious relief is spreading after the long weekend, amid hopes for more fruitful trade negotiations between the United States and its global partners. There are no post bank holiday blues for the London market, with the Footsie in striking distance of the record high reached in February. More positive vibes are pulsing about the outlook for the global economy, with hopes that more scores can b...

Economics

1 week ago Tesla sales halve in Europe; markets welcome US delay to EU 50% tariffs – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsEU hopes for quick deal to resolve US trade war after Trump delays 50% tariffsStocks have jumped in London as trading resumes after the Bank Holiday weekend.City investors are relieved that Donald Trump has delayed his threatened hike on EU tariffs to 50% until July, cooling trade war fears. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago I've bought 39 bitcoin for £3M in a week: British holding company builds its stake as price soars

Founder Andrew Webley wants to make Smarter Web Company into a UK version of US tech firm Micro Strategy, which has shot to prominence for its bitcoin holdings.

Economics

2 w. ago Elon Musk’s new Tesla is available in paranoid and threat mode: the Stephen Collins cartoon

Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Edmunds electric SUV test: 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs 2026 Tesla Model Y

The Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5 are two of the hottest-selling small electric SUVs

Politics