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Andy Burnham has arrived in Downing Street promising a new economic model and vowing to be a circuit breaker for Britain. But behind his promise lies another old Labour scheme of more intervention, more control and more trust in the state than in the market.

Britain has become dangerously politically unstable. Prime Ministers arriving with promises of renewal are now leaving office only months or a few years later, weakened and rejected by voters. While this continues, the country is increasingly run by unelected left-wing civil servants, anonymous in their Westminster bubble and growing more powerful with every fallen Prime Minister.

Hungary’s 2026 election defeat of Viktor Orbán signals a major geopolitical shift, weakening Russia’s influence in Europe and potentially improving relations with the EU. However, Russia is expected to retain strategic leverage in the region, meaning tensions between Moscow and Europe are likely to continue.

The UK can rightly celebrate progress. The latest FTSE Women Leaders Review shows women now hold more than 43% of board roles across the FTSE 350 and around 35% of leadership positions. Nearly three quarters of FTSE 350 boards have 40% or above leadership positions held by women. This is an international success story.

Four years into the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukraine continues to resist Russia’s invasion while transforming modern warfare through drones and innovation. As sanctions pressure Moscow and Western support continues, the conflict’s outcome will shape European security, global geopolitics and the future of international rules against territorial aggression.

The world’s attention has shifted once again. The conflict in the Middle East now dominates the headlines, and the scale of human suffering there rightly commands global concern. But as the news cycle moves on, there is a growing danger that the war in Ukraine quietly fades from public focus. That would be a grave mistake.

New figures showing the UK economy crept forward by just 0.1% in the third quarter are yet another reminder of how fragile – and how poorly defended – our economic prospects have become. As we head toward the Autumn Budget, the real test for Rachel Reeves is whether she can move beyond the instinct to tax first and think later.

Every year on the 10th of October, Taiwan celebrates its National Day. It is a day of pride, reflection and a reminder of how this small island has quietly become one of the most vital players in the modern world.

How Russia's escalating military expenditure amid economic decline underscores the urgency for Britain to bolster its defence capabilities and lead Europe's rearmament efforts in response to ongoing threats.