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
Trump says ‘very dangerous’ for UK to do business with China, after Starmer hails progress in Beijing
US president warns against closer ties with China during British PM’s trip to secure lower tariffs and better market access
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’
Xi-Starmer meeting: Chinese leader tells PM he hopes both countries can ‘rise above differences’
China agrees visa waiver for British citizens as countries sign agreements on closer economic cooperation
‘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
Farage attack on high street Turkish barber shops is dog-whistle racism, minister says
Miatta Fahnbulleh accuses Reform leader of ‘politics of grievance’ while having no plan to fix UK high streets
Universal basic income could be used to soften hit from AI job losses in UK, minister says
Lord Stockwood says people in government ‘definitely’ talking about idea as technology disrupts industries
Thursday briefing: Will Keir Starmer’s cautious China gamble pay off?
In today’s newsletter: With China now central to the world’s green tech and economic future, the UK faces a series of strategic discussions it can no longer postpone
Food sector calls for transition period if UK and EU agree post-Brexit rules reset
Industry groups warn that aligning agriculture standards overnight could cost British businesses up to £810m a year
UK probably needs large new factory to meet target of 1.3m cars a year, say industry boss
Mike Hawes casts doubt on Labour’s plan to double production by 2035, as Starmer visits China with carmaker delegation
Labour risks election wipeout unless it improves Britain’s high streets, study finds
Decay of town centres a top issue among voters especially Reform UK supporters and is fuelling resentment against Westminster
‘You’d be ashamed to bring someone here’: The struggling billionaire-owned high street that shows Reform’s road to No 10
Newton Aycliffe was meant to be a model town for a fairer postwar Britain. But unaffordable rents on a high street amounting to 0.12% of its property tycoon owner’s holdings have made it a symbol of decline – and a warning for Labour