Good morning. We have the first diplomatic row of the new Labour government: after Donald Trump accused the Labour party of interference to help Kamala Harris in the presidential election:

The complaint filed by Trump’s campaign to the independent Federal Election Commission accuses the Labour party of sending strategists and staffers to help the Democratic presidential candidate’s election campaign and says Harris has accepted the help. Keir Starmer, however, defended the aides, saying they were volunteering in their spare time.

The prime minister referred to the idea of Labour volunteers going over for pretty much every US election as “straightforward”. More on that below.

Technically correct, the best kind of correct

An inevitable consequence of being the most important democracy in the world is that outsiders will take a major interest in your elections. Just as we now watch elections in the US, the world elsewhere once did for the UK. Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi listened to the results from the 1945 election and hoped that Clement Attlee, who they knew well from the 1930s and wartime period, would win the election, because they thought that he would make a better negotiating partner than Winston Churchill.

In 1964 Kenneth Kaunda, later to become Zambia’s first president, listened to the outcome of the UK general election and cheered every result “as if it were for the United National Independence Party [Kaunda’s party]”. (Though, as it happens, Kaunda would swiftly be disillusioned by Harold Wilson, who led Labour into its 1964 election victory, and the former British prime minister’s handling of Rhodesia’s unilateral declaration of independence.)

Global power has long since decisively shifted to Washington and now it is American elections that the world watches with bated breath. It’s long been a tradition for Labour to learn from the Democrats and vice versa. Kamala Harris uses the same phrase — “turn the page” — that Labour used in July, just as Tony Blair’s “New Labour” aped Bill Clinton’s “New Democrats”.

A similar dynamic holds across the democratic world. I often meet Conservative or Labour strategists who have honed their skills learning from sister parties in Canada, New Zealand, Australia or the US. Robert Jenrick talks frequently of the lessons that the UK Conservatives can glean from Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Canadian Conservatives.

There are plenty of strategists who have fought and won elections for centre-left and centre-right parties across the English-speaking world: Stan Greenberg on the left, Isaac Levido on the right, Lynton Crosby, and so on.

So Keir Starmer is wholly correct when he says it is normal for Labour party staffers and former Labour party staffers to volunteer their own time in US presidential campaigns.

But the big and important difference now is that Donald Trump is a very different kind of politician. In the unlikely event that Poilievre loses the next Canadian general election, Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberals, would not freeze out a Jenrick-led British government. Clinton and John Major worked well on a range of issues, as did Tony Blair and George W Bush. Trump is mercurial, unpredictable and chaotic.

If Trump does return to the White House in November, that will, I think, be the defining moment in the life of the Labour government. Any hope of a return to “normal” politics will die alongside Kamala Harris’s presidential ambitions. Starmer’s government will have to find a new way of approaching the US-UK relationship: and what has, until now, been a “normal” exchange of volunteers between the two countries’ major centre-left parties may soon become a major diplomatic liability.

Now try this

During my holiday, I saw Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. It’s a glorious mess. Coppola is both the director, the producer and the main financial backer of a film that is a very, very personal art project. He has left a huge amount of himself out on the canvas. The resulting movie has, at times, the structure, pacing and underlying logic of a Saturday morning dream. In some scenes, both money and time appear to be running out. (I don’t know if the scenes in which it appears that a character has stumbled over their lines are intentional or a result of the stretched budget, it could go either way.)

But I have to say, I loved it: it is mad, in places it is bad, but I go to the cinema in the hope of seeing an artist’s vision, and I certainly got that. Danny Leigh’s more equivocal review is here.

Top stories today

• Upgraded | UK economic growth will accelerate this year and next as falling inflation and interest rates strengthen domestic demand, the IMF has said.

• Aid curtailed | The Treasury is preparing to slash spending on overseas aid in the Budget after refusing to match Tory-era top-ups to compensate for development cash spent on asylum seekers in the country, said people familiar with the matter.

• Grounded | Judges could impose house arrest as an alternative to jail as part a major review of sentencing aimed at easing the crisis in English and Welsh prisons. A fresh cohort of about 1,100 prisoners yesterday was released under emergency measures to free up cell space.  

• ‘Whole water sector has failed’ | Water regulator Ofwat could be overhauled or even replaced under the most far-reaching review of the industry since it was privatised 35 years ago. 

• The council fighting against insolvency | William Wallis heads to Hampshire to discover how, even in this relatively prosperous part of southern England, the council is facing the largest funding gap of any council in the country in 2025-26, at £175mn.

MARTIN Lewis has issued an urgent warning to millions of households who are missing out on vital benefits to make a claim.

Every year, people lose out on an estimated £23 billion in benefits and support due to stigma or the assumption that they are not eligible.

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In the MoneySaving Expert newsletter Martin Lewis said: “Billions in benefits goes unclaimed each year – most by workers or pensioners who have paid into the system for yonks and are in need of help.

‘Even some with higher incomes are due – don’t assume ‘it’s not me’.”

The consumer champion has rounded up seven benefits that are massively underclaimed.

Here we explain whether you are eligible.

Universal Credit

Around 1.4 million people miss out on an average of up to £5,800 in Universal Credit each year.

The monthly benefit is a “catch-all” for those of working age who have low or no income and living and housing costs.

Households with incomes of up to £35,000 a year are the most likely to be missing out.

But if you have kids then high childcare costs and rent could mean you may still be eligible if your household income is up to £60,000 a year.

You can make a claim through the Government’s website or by calling the Universal Credit Helpline on 0800 328 5644.

Attendance Allowance

Up to 1.1 million pensioners are missing out on at least £3,778 a year in Attendance Allowance.

This benefit is not mean-tested and gives a fixed payout of £3,778 a year, or £5,644 a year to cover some of the cost of providing care to someone who needs it.

Those who needed help with day to day tasks such as washing or eating and have done so for more than six months could be missing out.

You can make a claim if you need this support during the day or at night.

If you have a condition such as Parkinson’s, dementia, terminal illness or blindness then you could be missing out.

You can apply for Attendance Allowance through the Government’s website or by post.

For help with your application, contact the Attendance Allowance helpline on 0800 731 0122.

Council Tax Support

Up to 2.25 million people miss out on up to £1,500 a year in council tax support.

Each council runs its own scheme, so the amount you can get will depend on where you live.

In some regions it can cut your Council Tax bill by up to 100%.

If you qualify for means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit or Pension Credit then you are often due a Council Tax reduction.

But these are not made automatically and you must apply, which is why so many people miss out.

To apply you will need to contact your local council.

You can find your local council here.

Carer’s allowance

Approximately 530,000 carers miss out on up to £4,250 each year.

Carer’s allowance is a specific payment for people who act as unpaid carers.

This can include a family member, spouse, child or even someone that you are not related to.

You are likely to be missing out if you care for someone who usually gets Attendance Allowance, a Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance.

You may also be eligible if you spend more than 35 hours a week helping with everyday tasks such as washing or cooking and earn less than £151 a week or have a low State Pension.

If you care for someone for less than 35 hours a week then you may be able to claim Carer’s Credit, which helps build National Insurance years to give you a greater State Pension.

You can also back-date it, which could boost the amount you receive even more.

To apply visit the Government website.

Pension Credit

The Government estimates that around 760,000 pensioner households are missing out on Pension Credit, which is worth £3,900 a year on average.

Pension credit tops up your income.

It is still worth claiming even if you are only due 50p a week as it opens the door for other support such as the Winter Fuel Payment, Council Tax Reduction and free TV licence.

It’s worth checking if you could claim it if you are aged over 66 and have a weekly income of below £235 (£350 if you are a couple and are both State Pension age).

You can apply through the Government’s website or by calling the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.

Housing Benefit

Around 294,000 pensioners miss out on an average of £4,400 a year in help with their rent.

For those who are eligible and aged under 66 support for housing costs forms part of Universal Credit.

This is not the case with those of State Pension age.

Renters who are eligible for Pension Credit and are on a low income are likely to be missing out.

When you apply for Pension Credit you can usually make an application for Housing Benefit at the same time.

You can apply for Pension Credit online or contact the Pension Service to claim.

You can call the Pension Service on 0800 99 1234.

The Pension Service will then send details of your claim for Housing Benefit to your council.

If you already get Pension Credit you can apply through your local council.

Free School Meals

Approximately 470,000 families are missing out on free school meals, which are worth £490 a year.

Free school meals are served to eligible under-18s who are still in school or college.

Many people on Universal Credit with very low or no income are missing out as they do not realise they can only apply once they have received their first benefit payment.

Others lose out as they do not know they may need to re-register at the start of every year for each one of their children.

You can check if your child can get free school meals in England here.

To apply you will need to contact your local authority.

Can I get other support through my benefits?

Claiming benefits often opens the door to other discounts such as broadband social tariffs.

If you are successful in claiming any of these benefits then you should check if you are eligible.

If you are on a low income but do not qualify for benefits then help is still available.

You may still qualify for a water social tariff, so check with your supplier.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

RYANAIR has confirmed new routes are being launched this winter from two airports outside of London.

Both Birmingham and Manchester will be welcoming the new flights later this year.

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From Birmingham, the budget airline will launch flights to Agadir and Marrakech in Morocco, as well as Paphos in Cyprus and Paris.

Other destinations include Lodz (Poland), Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Treviso (Italy) as well as Berlin and Derry.

An official start date for each destination has not been confirmed, although the flights are already on sale from £19.99 as soon as next month.

The airline has been operating from Birmingham for 34 years, with the new routes taking it up to 39 destinations.

Ryanair’s head of communications Jade Kirwan, said they would also be expanding their existing winter routes.

She told local media: “Ryanair will operate a total of 39 routes to/from Birmingham this winter with extra flights added on 8 of our most popular routes.

“[This includes] city breaks like Bucharest, Budapest, and Krakow, alongside winter sun hotspots, like Barcelona, Malta and Porto, giving our Birmingham customers even more choice and regular connections at the lowest fares in Europe.”

She confirmed that the airline saw a 13 per cent growth in traffic from Birmingham Airport this year.

And the two new routes being launched from Manchester are Memmingen in Berlin and Tangier in Morocco.

Ryanair currently operates 65 routes from Manchester, making it one of the major airlines at the airport.

The new routes will welcome as many as 7.6million passengers to and from Manchester.

Manchester Airport managing director, Chris Woodroofe praised the news.

He said: “We’re proud to connect the north to the world, with a route network unrivalled by any UK airport outside London.”

This week, new routes from Liverpool also launched.

Ryanair confirmed that Budapest, Marrakech and Paphos would now operate from Liverpool Airport.

Along with increased flights for existing routes, this takes the current destinations offered by Ryanair from Liverpool to 24.

Earlier this month, Ryanair launched their first ever flights to Turkey.

Having previously operated routes to Turkey from Dublin and Bratislava, the airline will now operate from London Stansted.

Starting next year, the new routes include Bodrum and Dalaman, with £30 fares.

Next week Ryanair flights to Lapland-Rovaniemi will take off from both London and Liverpool.

And back in April, the airline launched flights from Norwich Airport for the first time.

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Kerala’s lottery revenue crossed Rs 11,000 crore for the first time in history. The state’s major share of tax and non-tax revenue comes from a few key commodities, including petroleum, alcoholic beverages, and lotteries. In 2022–23, lottery sales generated ₹11,892.87 crore, accounting for 78.67 per cent of the state’s non-tax revenue.

The state’s total own revenue in 2022–23 was Rs 87,086.11 crore, 1.42 per cent higher than the budget estimates. Notably, while the budget had projected lottery revenue at Rs 8,402 crore, the actual figure reached Rs 11,892.87 crore—41 per cent higher than expected, providing a significant boost to the overall revenue.

According to the latest CAG report on state finances, non-tax revenue, which has ranged between 7.51 and 13.59 per cent of the state’s revenue receipts over the last five years, saw a substantial increase of Rs 4,655.45 crore (44.50 per cent) in 2022-23 compared to the previous year.

Back in 2013-14, the state lotteries contribution to state exchequer was Rs 3,796 crore. A decade later, this contribution has increased by 213.3 per cent, reflecting a significant rise in revenue from state lotteries.

Other than State Own Tax Revenue and Non-tax Revenue, the other sources of receipts for a state government are the devolution of States’ share in taxes, Grants in aid and transfers from the Union Government and non-debt capital receipts. The share of Grants-in-aid in revenue receipts rose from 12.27 per cent in 2018-19 to 20.63 per cent in 2022-23, indicating Kerala’s increased reliance on the support of the Union government. The State Government received Rs 4,587.79 crore as the central share for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) in the year.

Some critics contend that lotteries disproportionately affect low-income individuals who spend a larger share of their income on tickets. This has led some to describe lotteries as a “tax on the poor”. Notably, lotteries yield significant GST revenue also on the sales value. Against the actual sale proceeds of Rs 11,892.87 crore during 2022-23, the GST collected on sales value is Rs 1,660.52 crore. That brings the total contribution from lotteries to Rs 13,553.39 crore, reaffirming its role as a crucial source of revenue for the state government.

Kerala government, however, claims to spend a major share of revenue it earns through lottery sales on expenses like distribution of prizes and agent commission and that the money is being diverted back to the people. Notably, the state lotteries have a wide distribution network of more than 55,414 agents and over 1.5 lakhs retailers.

Hidden Fees Alert: How Credit Card Companies Are Charging You Without Warning: Credit Card Fees Under Fire – How to Avoid the $1.99 Paper Statement Charge

Two major credit card companies are facing backlash for quietly imposing a $1.99 fee on consumers opting for paper statements. In a push to encourage customers to switch to digital statements, these companies are penalizing those who still prefer traditional paper billing. However, there are ways to avoid this fee—by opting into electronic statements or contacting your card issuer for potential exceptions.

The Shift to Digital Statements and the $1.99 Fee

Credit card issuers, including Synchrony Bank and Citibank, have introduced this fee for customers who choose paper statements instead of going digital. Synchrony Bank, which offers more than 100 co-branded and store-affiliated credit cards—such as Sam’s Club Credit Card, Lowe’s Store Card, and Amazon Store Card—is one of the key players imposing the charge. Citibank followed suit in late 2022, requiring customers to switch to paperless billing to access their accounts online or through the Citi Mobile App.

Despite the shift, legally, credit card companies must still offer paper statements, but customer consent is required for paperless billing. Many customers, like Alicia Galowitsch, find themselves facing additional costs. “It’s very tight for us,” she told NBC, explaining how these fees have impacted her household finances. “We had to start going to a food bank. It’s going to be $11.94 [in fees],” she shared, highlighting how small fees can quickly add up for families managing multiple accounts.

For some, paper statements are essential for organization, particularly when managing multiple credit card accounts. Ms. Galowitsch added, “If I’m not here, the payments are going to be late because [my husband] Mark’s not going to know what to do.” For people who rely on paper statements to stay organized, these new fees feel like an unfair burden.

Related: Should I use my credit card for big purchases?

Growing Consumer Frustration and Security Concerns

Beyond the financial strain, many customers are also concerned about the security risks associated with digital statements. Those who aren’t comfortable with online banking worry that going paperless could leave them vulnerable to fraud. In response, frustrated credit card holders have taken to forums like Reddit to voice their discontent.

One Reddit user shared, “I received a letter today about my PayPal Mastercard. Starting in April, they will impose a charge if you don’t opt for electronic statements.” The fee in this case is $2.50—slightly higher than Synchrony’s—but still a source of frustration. Another user mentioned they were closing their account entirely due to the fee.

This latest wave of fees follows recent changes by credit card giants Visa and American Express, which subtly reduced the value of rewards points. With Americans sitting on millions of credit card points for flights, hotels, and cash-back options, the impact of inflation has caused these points to lose value. Once worth roughly one cent per point, their purchasing power has dropped by 20% since 2018, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How to Avoid the Paper Statement Fee

If you’re being charged for paper statements, here’s how you can avoid paying unnecessary fees:

• Switch to electronic statements: Opting for digital billing is the simplest way to sidestep the fee.
• Request an exception: In some cases, particularly for elderly or disabled customers, credit card companies may waive the fee upon request.
• Track your statements online: Even if you prefer paper, familiarizing yourself with online banking can help you stay on top of your finances.

Signs Your Credit Has Been Compromised

Amid concerns about switching to online statements, it’s crucial to keep an eye out for signs that your credit may have been compromised. According to Michael Bruemmer, vice president of Experian Global Data Breach Resolution, these warning signs should not be ignored:

• Unrecognized charges on your credit card or bank account
• Unexpected credit checks appearing on your report
• Receiving unfamiliar bills
• A sudden drop in your credit score

“If you notice any of these, it could be a red flag that someone is using your identity,” Bruemmer warns. Early detection is key to minimizing potential damage to your credit.

Conclusion

As credit card companies push customers toward digital billing, it’s important to stay informed about fees and how they can impact your finances. Whether you’re holding onto paper statements for organization or security reasons, knowing how to avoid fees can save you money. Stay vigilant about your accounts, and keep an eye out for any signs of fraud to protect your financial health.

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

WPP returned to net sales growth in the third quarter but the advertising agency warned of continued economic uncertainty and a tougher end to the year.

The London-based marketing group said like-for-like revenue when removing pass-through costs — the fees paid to external suppliers — was up slightly in the third quarter by 0.5 per cent to £2.8bn. 

However, WPP said this measure for the full year would be between 1 per cent lower to flat, warning that recent client wins would only start to benefit the company next year. Shares in the group rose almost 4 per cent to 804p, taking its market capitalisation to £8.7bn.

Revenue growth in the US and western Europe was offset by a fall of more than a fifth in China, which WPP blamed on client losses and “persistent macroeconomic pressures impacting both our media and creative businesses”.

UK revenues were flat for the quarter. Mark Read, WPP chief executive, said consumers were being cautious ahead of next week’s UK Budget, which had caused a similar slowdown in marketing activity. He said the long wait for a Budget widely expected to bring tax rises had “not helped”.

“It has been a little bit wait and see,” he said, adding that while “people are expecting tougher times ahead financially”, clarity on the Budget “will make things easier to see”.

Read said US consumers were also feeling pressure, especially in the lower income brackets, but that the country’s economy remained strong ahead of the election next month.

WPP this summer was forced to downgrade its revenue forecasts for the rest of the year, but Read said the “momentum” behind the company was better given recent successes in gaining and retaining clients.

“It’s an important first step to demonstrate the competitiveness of our offer,” he said, pointing to the adoption of AI in its businesses and services offered to clients.

He predicted that using AI tools would make WPP staff “20 per cent more productive”, but said the impact of the technology on job numbers was not clear as he expected that AI would also “make more work”.

“We are encouraged by progress during the quarter, but with recent new business wins primarily impacting 2025 and continuing macroeconomic pressures, our expectations for the full year remain unchanged.”

Analysts at Shore said the company had shown “a positive revenue performance, progress against strategic goals, client wins and retentions and a reiteration of full-year guidance”.

But they added that “WPP’s performance, although improved, remains some way below best in class” rivals such as Publicis.

The planned disposal of a majority stake in corporate public relations firm FSG Global to KKR is on track to close in the fourth quarter, with expected net proceeds of about £604mn

WPP, with its partner Bain Capital, is also looking to sell Kantar Media, a division of the Kantar market research group that runs the UK’s TV audience measurement system. The sale has attracted interest from a number of private equity groups, according to people close to the talks.