Rachel Reeves robustly defends her spending proposals, insisting expanded free school meals for disadvantaged pupils and targeted measures to support lower-income communities are vital for economic fairness, even as some senior colleagues question potential public service cuts.

Foreign aid reductions by the US President, particularly affecting global HIV programmes, have spurred widespread criticism from health experts and prompted calls for greater European involvement, as he maintains the United States has already spent “billions” on the crisis.

Police are under scrutiny after a car allegedly tailgated an ambulance through a security cordon at a Liverpool victory parade, colliding with fans and injuring dozens while questions remain over the robustness of safety measures.

Amid a staffing crisis plaguing overcrowded prisons, the number of officers investigated for inappropriate relationships with inmates has nearly tripled over five years, sparking concerns about corruption and the recruitment of inexperienced personnel.