62 m. ago The Guardian view on Labour’s spending review: the chancellor tightened belts and loosened seams | Editorial

The government offers capital investment and fiscal prudence but real-terms department cuts and grand promises could strain political credibilityBrexit’s ghost haunts a Labour spending review intended to lay the foundations for a second term. Its headlines echo the twin themes of the referendum campaign: control immigration, fund the NHS. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said she would end the use of hotels for asylum seekers “in this parliament” saving £1bn a year, while NHS spending will rise by 3% a year. Ms Reeves framed it as a politics of security and compassion. Yet it reads as Brexit’s populist promises, filtered through Westminster orthodoxy.The risk is that this is all slogan and very little solution. The asylum savings are speculative, and the annual increase in NHS budgets is below its historical average. There are also real-terms cuts or essentially flat budgets for key departments such as transport, education and local government. The Home Office faces cuts deeper than a...

Politics

65 m. ago ‘Absolutely shocking’: Netflix documentary examines how the Titan sub disaster happened

New film Titan: The OceanGate Disaster looks back at the many bad decisions that led to the devastating 2023 tragedyIf you were sentient in the summer of 2023, you probably remember the feverish speculation, vicarious horror, snap consternation and armchair sleuthing after the disappearance of the submersible called Titan during a commercial voyage to the wreck of the Titanic. The Titan sub disaster was inescapable for weeks as the story evolved from critical rescue mission – the best-case scenario being a mechanical failure deep in the North Atlantic with 96 hours of oxygen for the five passengers, which you better believe became a countdown clock on cable news – to tragic recovery operation.The sub, it turned out, had imploded at 3,300 meters beneath the surface, 90 minutes into a dive that was supposed to reach 3,800 meters deep. All five passengers – British explorer Hamish Harding, British-Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman, French diver Paul-...

Events

71 m. ago Meater Pro Duo review: The essential smart thermometer for perfect BBQs

Let overcooked chicken and underwhelming steak be a thing of the past

Politics

74 m. ago ‘Bombshell’ badger cull study review ‘disproves evidence’ used by governments to justify killings

‘Justification for lethal control to date appears to have been based on basic statistical oversight,’ says independent reviewer

Events

76 m. ago Rachel Reeves unveils 3% NHS spending boost but cuts other budgets

Home Office and Foreign Office among Whitehall departments facing squeeze in chancellor’s spending review

Economics

76 m. ago Labour promised people we would rebuild Britain – and that’s what we’re doing | Keir Starmer

This week’s spending review marks a new stage in the mission of national renewal, built on the foundations laid last yearKeir Starmer is the prime minister of the United KingdomThe mandate we received from the British people could not have been clearer. First, we had to stop the chaos and return Britain to economic stability. Second, we had to turn the page on Tory decline with clear Labour choices. Third, we were instructed to rebuild our country.Wednesday’s spending review turbocharged that rebuilding. It is an investment in Britain’s renewal, so working people have more money in their pocket, more pride in their community and more hope for their children’s future. It’s what people voted for. An NHS cutting waiting lists, with care closer to the community. Wealth and opportunity no longer hoarded by only a few towns and cities. Continue reading...

Politics

77 m. ago American Gangster film based on true story that's a 'must watch' if you love the Godfather

The gangster film, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime, has been hailed as very "underrated" and the "best true crime drama out there".

Events

82 m. ago General Hospital and WWII series actor dies as tributes roll in for star

Actor Chris Robinson, who was best known for his roles in General Hospital and WWII series 12 O'Clock High, has sadly died at the age of 86 after the news was confirmed by a friend

Events

88 m. ago Spending review a ‘huge blow’ for police and ‘will hamper efforts to recruit 13,000 neighbourhood police officers’

The government’s £2bn spending plans will cover ‘little more’ than basic pay increases for existing staff, police chiefs have warned

Events

92 m. ago Emma Raducanu keen to explore doubles partnership with Katie Boulter

It was just the third doubles match in Raducanu’s career and only the second time she paired up with Boulter.

Politics

1 hour ago Voices: Rachel Reeves sounded like she was fighting for her political life

Delivering her spending review, the chancellor even made her theatrical opposite number look convincing – she needs to rediscover her firebrand energy and win Labour MPs back onside, says John Rentoul

Politics

1 hour ago Government can hit NHS waiting times targets despite scepticism, says Reeves

The NHS has received a 3% increase in real terms per year in the Government spending review.

Events

1 hour ago Growing proportion of aid budget to be spent on asylum hotels next year

Hotel accommodation for asylum-seekers strips money from the aid budget and threatens the health of people seeking safety, charities warn

Economics

2 h. ago Spending review in six charts: Where Rachel Reeves cuts and pay boosts will land

Departmental spending will increase by 2.3 per cent each year, with some areas seeing real-terms losses

Economics

2 h. ago Reeves unveils record spending plans but experts warn of tax rises ahead

Chancellor announces £39bn boost for social housing, £29bn for NHS and £11bn for defence – and promises to close all asylum hotels as she takes a swipe at Farage and dismisses Tory warnings of a ‘cruel summer’ of tax rise

Events

2 h. ago What the spending review means for you: RACHEL RICKARD breaks down Reeves' spending spree

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled a Government spending spree on Britain's schools, hospitals and armed forces as critics immediately questioned how she would pay for it.

Politics

2 h. ago London stocks climb higher after ‘watershed’ spending review

The FTSE 100 index closed up 11.27 points, 0.1%, at 8,864.35.

Politics

2 h. ago Council tax 'bombshell' warning over Chancellor's police funding plans

The government was accused of ‘relying on a hidden council tax bombshell to fund a half-hearted rise in police funding’

Events

2 h. ago Nintendo Switch 2 review – does everything the Switch does, but better

The Nintendo Switch 2 is here, and after using it for almost every waking minute for the last week, I think I'm finally ready to talk about my thoughts and feelings.

Politics

2 h. ago 'Ambitious and bright' hiker died after falling from Welsh peak as friends watched on in horror

Maria Eftimova died after falling nearly 65ft from Tryfan in Eryri

Events