UK asking other countries to host ‘return hubs’ for refused asylum seekers, Starmer confirms – as it happened

PM on trip to announce increased cooperation against people smugglers alongside Albania’s prime minister, Edi Rama

UK economy defies gloomy warnings to grow 0.7% in first quarter of year

GDP rise follows stronger levels of business investment as firms rushed to beat Donald Trump’s tariffs

London dominates England’s social mobility league with top 20 places

Sutton Trust’s ‘opportunity index’ measured six factors including children on free school meals passing GCSEs in maths and English

Keir Starmer is caught in yet another trap of his own making

The prime minister’s immigration approach follows a now-familiar pattern: letting fear of a difficult argument get in the way of policy that might work, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr

Reeves’s tax rises on employers start to bite as unemployment jumps

Effects of chancellor’s measures evident as companies reduce hiring and push down on wage growth

Staff layoffs in UK gain pace amid Trump tariff turmoil and labour cost increases

Surveys show employer confidence at record low, prompting job cuts and hiring freeze

British plane parts ‘exempted from Trump tariffs’ as US trade deal progresses

Boost to £40bn UK aerospace industry as Rolls-Royce engines and aircraft parts reportedly excused by US commerce secretary

UK interest rate cut may not be enough to improve voters’ dim view of the government

Bank’s move appears to go against the theory that rate cuts will lead to rising inflation and higher wage demands

Two trade deals and a rate cut in one week … are things looking up for UK plc?

Analysts say the news boosts business confidence, helps an EU trade reset and shows the UK is a good place to invest – but it’s unlikely to turbo-charge GDP

New UK-US trade deal is a relief for Starmer but doubts, and tariffs, remain

The deal definitely puts the UK in a better position, but its impact on the wider economy might be limited

UK interest rates fall to 4.25% as Bank of England announces a quarter-point cut

Move follows run of downbeat economic data and looks to cushion UK from Trump’s trade war fallout

Class still matters in politics – and until living standards improve, Reform will continue to prosper

Disgruntled and politically footloose voters are impatient for action. Labour has to offer them a lot more than warm words, says Guardian columnist Larry Elliott

Domestic economic woes will wreck Reeves’ budget plans, says thinktank

The forecast said low growth would place the Bank of England in difficult position ahead of next interest rate decision

Cuts leave voters doubting Labour’s ability to deliver change

Many are giving up on the government after the winter fuel allowance cut, on which there may now be a partial U-turn

The Guardian view on Trump’s shock therapy: warehouse and transport workers are the first victims of a class war

Editorial: Behind the slogans and tariffs lies a calculated strategy – fuelled by elite interests, eroding labour rights and stoking global recession