UK economy unexpectedly grows in August despite fall in consumer spending 15. October 2026 (08:05) Latest data showing surprise 0.1% growth is boost to John Healey a fortnight before his first budgetBusiness news – live updatesThe UK economy unexpectedly continued to grow in August despite a fall in consumer spending before John Healey’s first budget as chancellor.Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% last month, compared with 0.4% growth in July. That confounded a forecast by City economists of a 0.1% contraction. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
No timeline for lifting Land Registry paywall as ownership remains opaque 15. October 2026 (08:00) Defra promised in March to work towards free access to data on large plots in England and Wales The government has refused to say when the public will be able to freely access information about who owns large plots of land across England and Wales.Emma Reynolds, the previous secretary of state for the environment, announced in March that the paywall protecting large amounts of the Land Registry would be partly lifted. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Burnham v Swinney: will the UK PM overshadow the SNP’s conference? 15. October 2026 (08:00) Prime minister presents new kind of challenge for SNP, and his Scottish visit will loom large over its big eventThis year, even Andy Burnham is invited to the Scottish National party conference. But by the time John Swinney stands up to address members on Saturday afternoon in Aberdeen to reinvigorate the case for a second independence referendum, his party may regret giving the UK prime minister so much prominence in the conference buildup.Burnham is expected to visit Scotland on Friday – the middle of the event – in a thinly veiled attempt to overshadow the SNP gathering. While he will be in a different venue, the former Manchester mayor’s presence in Scotland will loom large over the event. Since taking over at No 10 in July, Burnham has largely avoided direct confrontations with his political rivals, rarely attacking Nigel Farage or Kemi Badenoch. But he has taken a different approach with the Scottish first minister. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Poland looks to economic heights in a country transformed since Soviet days 15. October 2026 (07:56) In the final part of our series on the country, Poles tell how wages have soared – along with the cost of livingWill military spending help or hinder Poland’s growth story?Poland’s push for EU energy resilience amid Russian aggressionAbove the rain-soaked streets of Warsaw, the observation deck of the Varso tower overlooks Joseph Stalin’s gift to Poland that has divided opinion for decades.For some, the Soviet-era Palace of Culture and Science is a drunk confectioner’s nightmare; standing as a relic of oppression that should have been demolished. For others, it is an icon on the skyline and a monumental warning from history. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Beau Lamarre-Condon allegedly asked celebrity chaser friend if he could post phone to her in WA to throw in water, court told 15. October 2026 (07:29) Stacey Parker was contacted following alleged murders, years after meeting Lamarre-Condon in Sydney and bonding over scepticism of Covid vaccinesFollow our Australia politics live blog for latest updatesGet our new political email, free app or daily news podcastBeau Lamarre-Condon asked a friend in Western Australia if he could post her a phone to be thrown into a body of water, and told her he’d been “set up” over the disappearance of two men, a court has heard.Lamarre-Condon, 31, has been accused of fatally shooting Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his police service weapon in Baird’s Paddington home on 19 February 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one charge of aggravated break and enter. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK households have paid extra £13,961 on bills since 2021 amid soaring inflation, TUC says 15. October 2026 (07:00) Trades Union Congress urges chancellor to tackle rising additional living costs in this month’s budgetUK households have paid almost £14,000 on average in additional costs for mortgages, loans, energy and water bills over the past five years, according to a report urging the chancellor to tackle soaring living costs at the budget.With less than a fortnight before John Healey’s first budget as chancellor, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said the cost of living crisis was weighing on the economy as hard-pressed households held back on spending. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
