The spiralling cost of living has been an increasingly urgent problem in the UK. But for many people, huge rises in energy bills are about to turn a difficult situation into an impossible one.
The squeeze on European gas supplies, largely as a consequence of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, has led to a near-doubling of prices in the UK, with even worse predicted for next year. Political inertia, caused by a lengthy Conservative leadership contest, has only added to a deepening sense of national frustration.
The likely new British prime minister, Liz Truss, has spent the summer promising tax cuts to her Tory party supporters – but her pitch may soon be upended by a crisis demanding urgent financial intervention from the government. From support charities to small businesses, energy correspondent Alex Lawson and personal finance writer Patrick Collinson look at the stark ramifications for Britons already feeling the pain of high inflation, while economics editor Larry Elliott says Europe must look to history in response to the crisis.
In Pakistan, devastating flooding caused by unusually strong monsoon rains has affected more than 33 million people and caused more than 1,000 deaths. As the government declares a “climate catastrophe”, our correspondent in Islamabad, Shah Meer Baloch, speaks to victims who have lost everything.
The launch of Nasa’s Artemis 1 lunar mission was delayed this week by an engine failure. But fear not – this week’s magazine can take you there, you’ll find stunningly remastered versions of the original photographs of the Apollo moon missions, with a commentary by the British astronaut Tim Peake.
Then, there’s a thought-provoking editorial about the continued value to humanity of space travel. Do you agree? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the magazine’s letters page. To the features section, and beyond …
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