21 h. ago Harbadus attacks Andvaria: cyber war game tests Nato defences against Russia

Power blackouts, public chaos and loss of communication with space were all thrown at troops in seven days Russia and China were barely mentioned, but they were the threats in everyone’s minds in Tallinn this week, where Nato hosted its largest ever cyber war game.The goal of the war game, conducted 130 miles from the Russian border in Estonia, was to test the alliance’s readiness for a rolling enemy assault on civilian and military digital infrastructure. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago The best Christmas chocolate gifts for 2025 from Cadbury hampers to Hotel Chocolat gift boxes

From affordable treats to show-stopping luxury boxes, we've rounded up the best chocolate gifts for Christmas 2025 to suit every budget and chocolate lover

Politics

4 d. ago ‘We wanted to break down barriers’: women’s teams finally join Football Manager

Sports Interactive has included the women’s game after its tireless effort of collating a comprehensive databaseWithin minutes I am in the deep end as the Arsenal manager before the start of the 2025-26 season, sizing up a transfer budget that does not match my ambitions for the club. I am immediately at odds with the board when I launch a rogue bid to sign Aitana Bonmatí, which is immediately rejected.I manage to recruit Alex Greenwood to shore things up in the wake of Leah Williamson’s injury and my late bid for Patri Guijarro, who wants to be part of my project, falls through at the last minute with the budget once again the problem. I demand answers from the board as to why they will not release more funds when the player-in-question wants to join, pointing out that our scouting report says she’s a necessary replacement for Lia Wälti. Continue reading...

Sport

5 d. ago The most misleading thing about Rachel Reeves’s budget? Who it was really for | Aditya Chakrabortty

Labour backbenchers have been cheering it as a win for the most vulnerable in socety. In fact it was aimed at the bond marketsThe charge is a grave one: that Rachel Reeves has just lied to Britons, spooking them into paying billions in extra taxes that she can splash out on higher benefits. However hyperbolic, this isn’t the usual Westminster sparring; this time, someone might get hurt. A week ago, critics of Reeves and Keir Starmer were, rightly, calling their budget “chaotic”. Today, it’s denounced as lies, and Kemi Badenoch is demanding the chancellor quit. It’s an accusation that demands straightforward answers, so let me give mine. Did the chancellor tell lies? On the available evidence, no. There were no whoppers, no falsehoods, no porkies. But despite Starmer’s comments yesterday, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see here and we can all move along. Reeves did mislead the public about the factors shaping her decisions. Was it all to funnel cash to “benefits street”, as the...

Politics

5 d. ago OBR chair quits after inquiry into early release of budget document

Richard Hughes takes ‘full responsibility’ for watchdog error as Starmer attempts to secure chancellor’s positionThe chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility has resigned after a damning internal inquiry into the leak that threw Rachel Reeves’s budget into chaos described it as the “worst failure” in the institution’s history.The departure of Richard Hughes, who said he took “full responsibility” for the watchdog’s failure to handle sensitive information, dragged the rolling recriminations over the budget into a fifth day. Continue reading...

Economics

5 d. ago OBR chair quits after inquiry into early release of Reeves’s budget

Richard Hughes departs after investigation into how official forecaster accidentally published budget 40 minutes earlyRichard Hughes, the chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, has quit after the findings of an urgent inquiry by the watchdog into how it inadvertently published Rachel Reeves’s budget 40 minutes early.Hughes wrote to the chancellor and to Meg Hillier, the chair of the Treasury select committee, last week to apologise after the OBR uploaded its documents setting out the details of the budget before Reeves began to speak on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Economics

5 d. ago OBR says inadvertent budget leak is ‘worst failure’ in its 15

Investigation finds organisation’s leadership over many years was to blame for error, and similar breach happened earlier this yearPolitics live –latest updatesBritain’s budget watchdog has said the early leak of its budget documents before Rachel Reeves made her speech was the “worst failure” in its 15-year history as it emerged a similar breach had occurred earlier this year.The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said an investigation had found that the leadership of the organisation, over many years, was to blame for the early release of its Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) document online nearly an hour before Reeves’s address last Wednesday. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Starmer raises pressure on head of OBR by saying budget leak was ‘serious error’

PM says he is ‘very supportive’ of spending watchdog but breach was a ‘massive discourtesy’ to parliamentUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has increased pressure on the head of the government’s spending watchdog over the budget leak by saying that while he was “very supportive” of the institution, a “serious error” had been made.The prime minister said the breach of market-sensitive information, shortly before Rachel Reeves delivered her statement last week, was a “massive discourtesy” to parliament. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago December’s best savings accounts paying high interest after the Budget

Make sure your cash is working hard for you and earning interest

Economics

6 d. ago There are those on the left and right who offer only grievance: Labour is getting on with the job of economic renewal | Keir Starmer

Judge last week’s budget in the light of our bold plans to sweep away red tape, tackle inactivity among young people and pursue a closer trading relationship with the EUKeir Starmer is the prime minister of the United KingdomReport: Labour’s economic plan will take years to deliver, Starmer saysAt the budget last week, we made the right choices for Britain, cutting the cost of energy with £150 off bills, protecting the NHS and tackling the scourge of child poverty by removing the two-child limit. We also ensured that the revenue we raised through taxes was done fairly, with everyone contributing but those with the broadest shoulders contributing their fair share. As a result of the choices we made, the budget created a more stable economic environment, driving down inflation and government bond yields. This is vital for protecting our public services, when £1 in every £10 spent by government goes on debt interest.The budget builds on the action we have already taken to improve the e...

Economics

6 d. ago Sultana attacks the monarchy, Israel and ‘pathetic’ Labour in Your Party speech – UK politics live

MP speaks to delegates in Liverpool after boycotting conference yesterdayKemi Badenoch has reiterated her calls for the chancellor to resign on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, after accusing Rachel Reeves of breaking promises not to raise taxes.In this year’s budget, Reeves froze tax thresholds for three years longer than previously planned, meaning that as wages rise more people will have to start paying income tax.The chancellor called an emergency press conference telling everyone about how terrible the state of the finances were and now we have seen that the OBR had told her the complete opposite. She was raising taxes to pay for welfare.The only thing that was unfunded was the welfare payments which she has made and she’s doing it on the backs of a lot of people out there who are working very hard and getting poorer. And because of that, I believe she should resign.The shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, has written to the FCA (the Financial Conduct Authority). Hop...

Politics

6 d. ago Sultana addresses Your Party conference after securing ‘collective leadership’ victory – UK politics live

MP speaks to delegates in Liverpool after boycotting conference yesterdayKemi Badenoch has reiterated her calls for the chancellor to resign on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, after accusing Rachel Reeves of breaking promises not to raise taxes.In this year’s budget, Reeves froze tax thresholds for three years longer than previously planned, meaning that as wages rise more people will have to start paying income tax.The chancellor called an emergency press conference telling everyone about how terrible the state of the finances were and now we have seen that the OBR had told her the complete opposite. She was raising taxes to pay for welfare.The only thing that was unfunded was the welfare payments which she has made and she’s doing it on the backs of a lot of people out there who are working very hard and getting poorer. And because of that, I believe she should resign.The shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, has written to the FCA (the Financial Conduct Authority). Hop...

Politics

6 d. ago Mansion tax map shows the neighbourhoods where more than HALF of homeowners could get hit with an eye

The neighbourhoods where more than half of homeowners could get hit with an eye-wateringly expensive mansion tax can today be revealed in an extraordinarily detailed map.

Events

7 d. ago Martin Lewis' key 'wins' from Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Budget 2025

MoneySavingExpert (MSE) founder Martin Lewis has been among those to have delved into the announcement and what exactly its proposals mean in practice

Politics

8 d. ago Rachel Reeves accused of misleading voters over £20bn Budget black hole – live updates

The fiscal watchdog said the chancellor knew about its revised prediction well before she changed course to raise taxes

Economics

8 d. ago Rachel Reeves accused of ‘misleading’ UK over £20bn Budget black hole – live updates

The fiscal watchdog said the chancellor knew about its revised prediction well before she changed course to raise taxes

Economics

8 d. ago Rachel Reeves’ uncle blasts Budget as 'worst I’ve ever heard'

His comments come as the Chancellor is accused of breaking a Labour manifesto pledge amid £26billion of tax rises

Politics

9 d. ago NatWest issues 'important' call to customers after Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget

NatWest has contacted its customers after Rachel Reeves delivered her 2025 Autumn Budget

Economics

9 d. ago By ending a cruel Tory social experiment, this budget clearly set out how Labour will fight the battle to renew Britain | Lucy Powell

The two-child benefit cap was a totem of 14 years of failed ideology. Now it is goneLucy Powell is deputy leader of the Labour partyYesterday the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered a Labour budget. People have been asking for Labour’s purpose and values to be more clearly expressed. Through the choices made – a shift to a fairer tax system, targeting wealth to pay for tackling child poverty, good public services and the cost of living – we have clearly set out what we stand for.That’s why Labour MPs cheered in the Commons, and it’s why we are up for the fights to come. And it’s why the cries from the right began immediately.Lucy Powell is MP for Manchester Central and deputy leader of the Labour partyDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago IFS responds to £150 cut to energy bills pledged in Rachel Reeves’ Budget – will it work?

Some climate campaigners have criticised the move by Rachel Reeves to cut green levies

Economics