Sunak says he can’t afford public sector pay rises – but look at the white elephants he’s happy to fund

Spending priorities sum up all that is rotten in government. Where is the money for education and the NHS, asks Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins

Brexit distracted UK ministers from Covid planning, official tells inquiry

Government focused on no-deal preparation and did not foresee need for PPE, contact tracing or possible lockdowns

UK Covid inquiry: what we learned from the first week of the hearings

Government’s readiness for pandemic, health inequalities and testimonies of bereaved families featured at opening of inquiry

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt branded 'Mr Bean' for video

Jeremy Hunt drew comparisons to the comic character as he used coffee cups to explain soaring costs.

A few hours as a patient in A&E confirmed it to me – the Tories are bleeding out the NHS

During my time at a local hospital, I witnessed the devastation of 13 years of government underfunding of emergency care, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Dr Emily Ball on Twitter

“Anyone else think that all this Royal Family stuff is a useful distraction for the right wing press so they don't have to actually report on the fact that the UK is on fire? All we are short now are the four horsemen.......”

Beth Rigby on Twitter

“Q: You can’t get a train, can’t get a GP appointment, can’t be sure if an ambulance will come in time. That’s the reality of Britain in 2023. Now more promises after 13 years of Conservative rule…Why should the public believe you’re any different from those who have come before?”

Millions of Britons would find it hard or impossible to cover an extra £20 in monthly expenditure