12 h. ago Sarah Ferguson splurged £4m on wild spending habits and is now homeless

Sarah Ferguson has found herself without a home after she and ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, have been officially booted out the Royal Lodge by King Charles

Economics

16 h. ago Boost to North Ayrshire libraries as they are granted a share of 200k improvement fund

Twelve public libraries across Scotland are set to transform their services thanks to the cash injection from the fund.

Politics

21 h. ago Reeves refuses to say she will stick to manifesto pledge on tax rises and insists she must face world ‘as it is’ – UK politics live

Chancellor says she is focused on priorities for British people in pre-budget speech laying ground for expected tax risesBusiness live: UK borrowing costs fall and pound hits six-month lowReeves says welfare needs to be reformed.There is nothing progressive about refusing to reform a system that is leaving one in eight young people out of education, or employment. I put our public finances back on a firm footing, provided an urgent cash injection into a faltering public services and began rebuilding our economy.But since that budget, the world has thrown even more challenges our way. Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Public servants are being targeted and MPs have been murdered. But we will prevent fear from destroying our politics | Dan Jarvis

A new law will restrict protests outside the homes of public office holders. The right to demonstrate is a given, but to menace private homes is just not right Every day, I hear appalling stories of the abuse suffered by people who step forward to represent their communities and serve our country. It is shocking to see the level of harassment and intimidation faced by those in our parliament, our town halls and elsewhere in public service. Every story I hear only increases my determination to stop it happening and keep those who serve safe.The horrific murders of my friends Jo Cox and David Amess were not isolated tragedies. They sent shockwaves through parliament and our democracy. Their loss left behind grief and a fear that shapes our politics.Dan Jarvis is security minister and Labour MP for Barnsley North Continue reading...

Events

22 h. ago Reeves says UK has suffered ‘years of economic mismanagement’ in speech preparing ground for tax rises – politics live

Chancellor says she is focused on priorities for British people and previous governments have limited UK’s potentialReeves says welfare needs to be reformed.There is nothing progressive about refusing to reform a system that is leaving one in eight young people out of education, or employment. I put our public finances back on a firm footing, provided an urgent cash injection into a faltering public services and began rebuilding our economy.But since that budget, the world has thrown even more challenges our way. Continue reading...

Economics

36 h. ago States and cities challenge Trump policy overhauling public service loan forgiveness

More than 20 Democrat-led states are challenging a new Trump administration rule designed to block nonprofit and government workers from a student loan cancellation program if federal officials conclude their employer has a “substantial illegal purpose.”

Politics

42 h. ago Public service productivity tumbles at fastest rate in nearly three years after Labour's pay and spending splurges

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to blame Brexit and Tory austerity for another grim package of tax hikes in the Budget on November 26.

Economics

63 h. ago Private schools taking fees from criminal parents could be prosecuted for money laundering experts warn after drugs baron pays for daughter's classes with envelopes of cash

Tom Keatinge, the Director of the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI, said questions may be raised about whether Labour's tax on private school fees is fuelling parents to pay in cash.

Events

64 h. ago ROBERT JOBSON: Revealed: What Harry and Meghan did that made the late Queen so furious she hurled her newspaper to the floor

For the late Queen's generation, teatime was sacrosanct: a pause in the day to reflect and refresh. For the monarch herself, it was also a cherished private time in a life devoted to public service.

Politics

2 d. ago Why gangsters are sending their children to rub shoulders with wealthy families at Britain's top private schools... and paying fees with wads of cash

Tom Keatinge, the Director of the Centre for Finance and Security at RUSI, said questions may be raised about whether Labour's tax on private school fees is fuelling parents to pay in cash.

Economics

3 d. ago ROBERT JOBSON: The late Queen's shocking gesture which revealed the depth of her fury at Harry and Meghan

For the late Queen's generation, teatime was sacrosanct: a pause in the day to reflect and refresh. For the monarch herself, it was also a cherished private time in a life devoted to public service.

Politics

4 d. ago Labour struggles to contain fresh NHS strike threats as unions dismiss 2.5% pay rise... despite ministers warning taxpayers can't afford more

The government's evidence to the NHS pay review body has delivered a stark warning that any increase above that level next year could force cuts to services and staff.

Events

5 d. ago What exactly are we paying for? The UK’s legacy of privatising utilities

All-round expertise is lacking, but urgently needed to run key public services efficiently

Economics

5 d. ago Britain would do well to remember where its power over China lies | Simon Jenkins

It’s ridiculous for the government to splurge on defence while it slashes spending on its most valuable asset: cultureThe US has backed down in its tariff war with China. Thanks to Donald Trump’s egotistical diplomacy, rare earths can again flow one way, soya beans the other, and less of the chemicals used to make fentanyl in between. No matter that the war was Trump’s own idea and seems to have been a stunt. The stunt is over. Trump has played his favourite game of dealmaker, much to the discomfort of millions.Meanwhile Britain still cannot make up its mind if China is its enemy. In 2008 British officials visited the Beijing Olympics authorities to discuss the next games in London in 2012. The government told them to “raise” human rights issues, about which the British government was most concerned. I am told the Chinese reacted with sympathy at the Britons’ embarrassment at broaching the matter, and then everyone got down to business. Soon China was a friend, certainly to David Ca...

Politics

6 d. ago The private jet 'fair tax' that would make SNP £20 million for public services, analysis shows

The First Minister has been told to begin preparatory works on a private jet tax

Economics

7 d. ago The Guardian view on state failure: Britain’s crisis is not just one of investment, but also of upkeep | Editorial

Fixing prisons, hospitals and local councils means rejecting austerity’s logic and recognising that state spending builds competence, not wasteThe fiasco over the accidental release of Hadush Kebatu, who was serving a sentence for sexual assault and due to be deported from HMP Chelmsford, is a symptom of a wider problem. What ails the British state is that it has built, and is building, what it cannot seem to maintain.A decade of attrition has hollowed out public services to the extent that they struggle to function coherently or plan beyond the next crisis. Under the Tories, state spending grew by just over 1% a year – well below the long-run trend of 2.6% per year. This hides the fact that Britain’s fiscal story since 2010 has been an emphasis on capital spending that sends ministers reaching for hard hats, but doesn’t keep the lights on. However, investment without maintenance is just decay.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you wo...

Events

8 d. ago How much of a salary hike do YOU need to keep up with inflation? Use our calculator to find out...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves' painful tax raid on businesses has pushed inflation to an 18-month high. Prices have jumped by 4.2% in a year in the UK

Economics

9 d. ago Dining across the divide: ‘I said Trump’s a bit of a despot and shouldn’t have had a state visit to the UK’

One’s a Keir Starmer believer, the other’s a reluctant Labour voter. Could this GP and teacher agree on public sector pay rises and Andy Burnham?Joe, 33, BrightonOccupation GP Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago How much would Labour's plan to increase income tax cost YOU? Find out how your pay will be hit if Chancellor goes through with plan to hike levy by a penny

The Chancellor is said to be considering ripping up the party's election pledge not to raise income tax paid by millions of Britons as she struggles to get a grip on public spending.

Economics

9 d. ago Cruise control: could a £5 ‘entry’ fee help balance Orkney’s needs with tourist demand?

With tourists outnumbering locals by 20:1, islanders say levy is needed to help protect neolithic sites and maintain public servicesArtisan jewellery, gift and whisky shops crowd the main street of Kirkwall on Orkney. The town even has a new sushi shop, offering bento boxes and matcha cheesecake.Once home to the Viking earls who ruled the islands, Kirkwall has hit it rich: it tops the UK’s charts for cruise ship visits, as American, German and Italian tourists descend on remarkable neolithic sites such as Skara Brae and its medieval cathedral. Continue reading...

Economics