Anger grows among UK ministers amid fears Iran war could jeopardise Britain’s fragile finances

Some in cabinet in despair over possible impact of war begun by Donald Trump, who branded Nato allies ‘cowards’

Labour dismisses Reform UK MSP candidates as ‘hopeless Tory rejects and oddballs’ as one is suspended – as it happened

Stuart Niven suspended after revelations he was struck off as company director, while other candidates have been accused of extremist statements including describing Humza Yousaf as ‘not British’

Starmer’s ministers look at new economic blueprint to quell voter anger

Devolution of tax powers to mayors, scrapping of national insurance and property tax overhaul on report’s menu

The Guardian view on Labour, liberals and the Greens: they agree on the problem, but not the solution

Editorial: From Brexit to fiscal rules to living costs, diagnoses multiply. Steel policy points to a missing link – the need for a strategy to rebuild

Iran could be the US’s Boer war: a hollow victory that marks the beginning of the end of empire

US leaders anticipated a walkover. Now they’re embroiled in a conflict that could hasten the end of US economic dominance, says Guardian columnist Larry Elliott

UK to cut climate aid to developing countries by 14% to £2bn a year in ‘refocus’

Move will put national security and lives overseas at risk, critics say, as overall UK aid budget is slashed to 0.3% of gross national income

The Guardian view on Rachel Reeves and the EU: the right ambition is held back by outdated red lines

Editorial: The chancellor makes a compelling case for alignment with the EU, but her strategic analysis isn’t matched with political urgency in Downing Street

Starmer says Tory shadow minister should be sacked for criticism of Muslims praying in Trafalgar Square – as it happened

Nick Timothy said an event attended by the mayor of London that included prayers was an ‘act of domination’

Zack Polanski says Greens would ditch GDP targets and focus on wellbeing instead

Leader uses first major economic speech to prioritise public services and reduction of inequality over growth

‘Basics’ of life in Britain have been sold for profit, says Polanski

Exclusive: England and Wales Greens leader outlines economic policy including help to meet rising energy costs and water re-nationalisation

Relief for some of Britain’s poorest lands at right moment to cushion Iran aftershocks

Timely end of two-child limit plus a healthy uptick in universal credit signals ‘life-changing’ boost to Britons most exposed to Trumpflation

Bleak economic data shows UK plc in trouble well before Middle East crisis

Zero GDP growth in January will not help Rachel Reeves claim she has put UK in position to weather oil price storm

UK economy unexpectedly flatlined in January, official figures show

January’s GDP figure comes as higher energy prices look likely to drive up inflation, dashing hopes of interest rate cut

The Guardian view on Adam Smith: he deserves rescuing from the free-market myth

Editorial: On the 250th anniversary of The Wealth of Nations, the Scottish philospher is still invoked by the right. Yet he worried about inequality, monopoly and the power of wealth

Wednesday briefing: From missing billions to nonexistent datacentres, inside Britain’s AI drive

In today’s newsletter: Enormous investments in artificial intelligence promised to transform Labour’s growth problems. The reality is much murkier