The figures are worrying reading, as the Bank of England (BoE) prepares for its latest interest rate decision next week.

A first anniversary in office is normally a moment for a leader to celebrate, but Britain's Rishi Sunak hits the milestone this week with a mountain to climb to retain power in a general election expected next year.

The figures show that between June and August of this year, wages rose at an annual rate of 7.8 per cent, higher than average inflation over the same three months.

The inquiry follows a complaint made to the independent body by a former member of staff over alleged behaviour, which took place between 2012 and 2013.

British business groups have urged the government to formulate a long-term industrial policy, with industry leaders pushing for tax breaks to be made permanent.

Rachel Reeves was in the limelight in Liverpool, described as the would-be "first female Chancellor ever in Britain", and also the "best qualified".

Starmer claimed the government was exploiting the country's problems rather than solving them, and appealed to disillusioned Conservative voters to join Labour.

The meeting comes with the centre-left party enjoying double-digit leads in most opinion polls and seemingly on the cusp of returning to power.

For Labour, the by-election represented an important battleground ahead of the next UK general election, with the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer declaring it a "seismic" night and that people in Rutherglen and Hamilton West had sent "a clear message".

On Thursday, Metro Bank issued a statement to reassure investors after the short suspension of their shares due to volatility amidst suffering a hefty 25 per cent fall.

Sunak declared that this move would save 36 billion pounds, which he would reinvest in hundreds of other transport schemes across the country.

Batting away concerns about his authority, Sunak insisted he was "just getting on" with the job and "delivering" on his long-term policy plans.

Chairman Jeremy Hunt has already signed off on "reallocating" money from HS2's northern leg to other transport projects, according to reports.

"We're giving over two million workers a wage boost worth over £1,000," the Conservative Party announced today after revealing plans to punish the 'workshy' benefit claimants.

Unison members will strike across 24 council areas for three days from Tuesday in a dispute over pay, following their rejection of Cosla's recent offer.

The decision to hold the rate comes after figures revealed an unexpected slowdown in inflation in August.

Grocery price inflation has fallen to its lowest level for more than a year, causing major supermarkets to slash prices.

Britain's annual inflation rate dropped sharply in July to a 15-month low, official data revealed Wednesday, off the back of lower energy prices and in line with economists' expectations.

UK unemployment increased in the three months to the end of June while wages grew at record annual pace, official data showed Tuesday, as the economy struggles with high inflation.

The last time rates were this high was in April 2008, in the midst of the global financial crash, with the UK's central bank expecting inflation to fall below five per cent in the autumn or winter.

Oxfam found that international labour data does not represent 65 per cent of women's working hours in the UK.

The UK retail industry has been battling with the closure of 6,000 retailers over the past five years due to burdensome business rates and the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the support of AI detection, there will be improvements in the accuracy of medical diagnostics as well as earlier breast cancer detection.

The UK food and consumer goods business is facing challenges, including inflation and labour shortages, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution.

The offer comes amidst a backdrop of widespread strikes across the public sector over the past few months, with the government suggesting pay rises of between six per cent and 6.5 per cent for 2023-24.

The UK food and drink sector is projected to reach £315.2 billion by 2028, a 19 per cent increase from 2023, according to IGD.

More than 11 million people in the UK faced hunger in the past year, according to research conducted by the food bank charity Trussell Trust.

Rising costs, affordability concerns, and economic uncertainty impact the housing market, with interest rates now standing at five per cent in the UK, the highest level since April 2008.

The King's Fund, an independent think tank involved with work relating to the health system, said the UK health system's poor performance on avoidable deaths should be a serious concern for political leaders and policy-makers.

£21 million will be invested in AI developments across the NHS, the Government announced today. The funding will allow NHS Trusts to accelerate the deployment of the most promising AI tools across hospitals.