Ministers tell HS2 to consider slower train speeds to cut costs

Company will assess whether drop to 186mph from 224mph will save money and help bring forward launch

Starmer says ‘every lever’ will be explored to ease rising costs of living from Iran conflict

PM will chair Cobra meeting with key ministers and Bank of England on Monday, as experts warn of economic shock

Starmer adviser urges ministers to look at profits cap for energy and petrol firms

PM’s ‘cost of living champion’ calls for consideration of temporary measure to prevent profiteering from Iran war

Trump’s economic shocks are derailing Britain’s building plans

With major developments collapsing, pressure is growing on councils to concede on affordable housing and public amenities

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’

Owners from Great Britain travelling to EU warned over pet passport ‘dodge’

Bypassing animal health certificate system by using cheaper pet passport issued abroad could backfire, experts say

Lowering speed limits among contingency plans to curb UK oil demand

International Energy Agency recommends emergency measures, including working from home, as Iran war hits fuel supply

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

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

Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar

US president says ‘extremely important and valuable’ site will be targeted if Iran continues to attack Qatar facilities

Ban corporate donations to UK political parties to protect elections, says thinktank

CenTax warns bill under debate in parliament has ‘easily exploitable’ loopholes and will not prevent foreign interference

UK to double steel tariffs to 50% to save plants from collapse

Business secretary announces new measures during visit to Tata’s Port Talbot plant

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