Epstein called Mandelson ‘devious’ after he lobbied bank to back mining project In 2010 then business secretary contacted Jes Staley, then at JP Morgan, about funding for £700m listing on London Stock Exchange
The Guardian view on high-street decline: a symbol of failure in a discontented nation Editorial: Decaying town centres are fuelling a sense of disillusionment with mainstream parties. Labour’s regeneration strategy must be bolder
‘Finally got him to go’: how Epstein was given inside track on events that rippled through global markets Apparent leak by Peter Mandelson gave advance notice of Gordon Brown’s resignation and €500bn eurozone deal
EU has ‘open mind’ on UK customs union talks, says official Valdis Dombrovskis says bloc is ‘ready to engage’ amid meetings with ministers including Rachel Reeves
Student loans: why is Martin Lewis clashing with Rachel Reeves? MoneySavingExpert founder has said changes that will lead to some graduates in England and Wales paying more are ‘not moral’
Ultra-processed foods should be treated more like cigarettes than food – study UPFs are made to encourage addiction and consumption and should be regulated like tobacco, say researchers
Most of Great Britain’s major rail operators are back in public hands – is it working? Explore the Guardian’s tracker to see which operators are nationalised and if services are improving under public ownership
UK hospitality firms demand more help with business rates amid questions over Heathrow discount Airports identified as biggest winners of government’s £4.3bn support package with Heathrow alone taking £900m discount
Betfred brothers top list of UK’s biggest taxpayers with £400m bill Harry Styles is highest-contributing celebrity and Erling Haaland the youngest entry in Sunday Times tax list
The long-term cost of high student debt is not just for graduates Labour’s changes to the student loan system have turned frustration into full-blown fury, which is likely to benefit its opponents at the ballot box
Friday briefing: How Britain’s high streets became a barometer of national decline In today’s newsletter: As boarded‑up units spread from coastal towns to former industrial centres, a new Guardian investigation reveals how our high streets have become a litmus test for public frustration and political choices
What agreements have been made during Starmer’s trip to China? Several deals have been struck so far but there does not appear to be a big bundle of investments worth billions
Chinese state media views Starmer’s visit as act of economic pragmatism PM praised for not pressuring Xi over his ties with Putin on a trip seen as business ‘taking precedence over politics’
‘My kids buy me food’: civil service pensioners offered emergency loans as nearly 90,000 face delays Government to lend up to £10,000 to worst-affected new retirees as minister admits there is ‘unacceptable’ backlog
Doom loop of decline: how struggling high streets fuel far-right sympathies in UK Retail accounts for 5% of the UK economy – but its visibility gives it an outsize influence on public perception