Brits are bracing for a fresh wave of inflation today after official figures showed prices already accelerating.

The headline CPI rate was 3.1 per cent in the year to August, up from 2.9 per cent the previous month.

The bump was in line with expectations, but economists have been warning that could be only the start, as the Middle East crisis looks to be deepening. 

Oil costs have been running at eye-watering levels, with Brent Crude at $108 a barrel this morning. Drivers are already feeling the pinch at the pumps, where diesel is at a four-year high.

There are estimates that energy bills could be set to rise by a quarter in January, while the Government is struggling to find ways of balancing the books at the Budget next month. 

Some analysts believe CPI will now hit 4 per cent next year, with markets pricing in multiple interest rate increases as the Bank of England fights to prevent a spiral.

The Monetary Policy Committee – which targets 2 per cent inflation – will make its latest decision on rates tomorrow, although it is widely predicted to hold fire this time.  

Andy Burnham and John Healey (left) are struggling to find ways of balancing the books at the Budget next month

ONS Chief Economist Grant Fitzner said: ‘Sharp price rises for petrol and diesel pushed inflation up again in August. Higher airfares, particularly for long-haul journeys, also contributed to the increase.

‘Rising crude oil and petrol prices increased both the annual cost of raw materials and the price of goods leaving factories respectively.’

Gas prices have also been ticking higher since the US-Iran ceasefire deal collapsed on July 8. 

In a small bright spot, so-called core CPI – excluding energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco – held steady at 2.6 per cent in the year to August. 

Mr Healey said: ‘The war in the Middle East is impacting on inflation worldwide, not just here at home. In our bills, our weekly shop and at the petrol pumps.

‘We have taken early action to help families and businesses breathing space, by cutting tax on electricity bills, capping bus fares at £2 and lowering rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues.

‘Despite this serious global uncertainty, our UK economy is proving resilient, and our determination to deliver and growth in every postcode continues.’ 

There was a bleak readout for Britain’s jobs market yesterday.

Official figures showed numbers on company payrolls fell by 26,000 last month, and are now down 145,000 over the past year. 

Job vacancies tumbled to a fresh five-year low in the three months to August, with around 8,000 fewer advertised compared to the same period in 2025. 

Meanwhile, private sector regular wage growth was 2.9 per cent – barely keeping ahead of inflation. 

Shadow chancellor Andrew Griffith said: ‘Inflation is now at 3.1 per cent meaning that every family is paying the price for Labour’s choices.

‘Labour’s jobs tax and employment red tape are being passed on to consumers in the weekly shop and their mad energy policies are pushing up costs and leaving Brits exposed.

‘In difficult times, we need a serious government with a plan, not amateurs with a bunch of pet projects.’

Harvir Dhillon, lead economist at the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘Today’s figures highlight the challenging environment retailers face. 

‘Headline inflation has increased, with goods such as clothing and accessories seeing marked increases on the month. 

‘One bright spot for households was that food inflation remained unchanged, with deals to be had on staple items like olive oil and coffee… 

‘Tackling the cost of living is a top priority and retailers continue to do all they can to hold prices down. 

‘But until fiscal conditions improve, they will be fighting with one hand tied behind their back. The Autumn Budget is a chance to reset and reduce the cost pressures building up across the industry.’

Noah was wearing a white t-shirt with the TV character Bluey on, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe, say police.

He is three years old and has curly ginger hair.

Anyone who believes they have seen Noah is asked to contact Suffolk Police, quoting CAD 203 of 15 September.

The force can be contacted on its website or by calling 101. Alternatively, you can use the Live Chat service by clicking the icon at the bottom right corner of the Suffolk Police homepage.

He died in hospital after an incident at a property

A man who passed away on Sunday following an alleged assault in Newtownards the previous week has been identified as former jockey Patrick (Paddy) Donaghy.

The 39 year old was a flat racing jockey operating out of Britain for ten years from 2005 to 2014, notching up more than 60 victories throughout a career that included regular rides for northern England-based trainers Pat Haslam and Jedd O’Keeffe.

Mr Donaghy died in hospital after an incident at a property in the Stratheden Heights area of the County Down town on Monday, 7 September.

His final race was at Wolverhampton in October 2014, while the last of his 63 career wins came aboard a horse called Hamble at Lingfield in June 2014.

His brother, Joseph Donaghy, 46, appeared before Newtownards Magistrates Court last week facing charges of causing grievous bodily harm relating to the incident.

The PSNI have declined to release additional information about the circumstances of the incident or how the man came to be hospitalised.

Police announced the investigation into the man’s death on Monday, 14 September, six days after the incident at the residence.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) statement confirmed: “Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man aged in his thirties.

“The man died in hospital on Sunday, following an incident at a house in Stratheden Heights, Newtownards, on September 7. There are no further details at this time.”

A death notice for Donaghy published on Funeral Times read: “Peacefully in hospital. Late of Stratheden Heights, Newtownards. Dearly loved son of John and Sarah Donaghy. Much loved brother of Joseph, Brona and her husband Simon and Sarah. A loving and devoted father of Lennon, a dear uncle to his many nieces and nephews. RIP.

“Service in St Patrick’s Parish Church, North Street, Newtownards on Friday 18th September at 11:00am, followed by committal in Movilla Cemetery. House Strictly Private Family Only.

“Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to ICU Ulster Hospital may be made online at https://sclarkeandson.co.uk/donate. Or cheques payable to SEH & SCTrust. Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by the entire family circle.”

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Residents of a tiny Oxfordshire village have voted overwhelmingly to declare independence from Britain in a symbolic referendum staged in protest at plans to house more than 1,200 asylum seekers at a former military base nearby.

Piddington’s parish council announced the result at 7am today after villagers went to the polls yesterday to decide whether their community should ‘secede’ from the UK.

Some 312 votes were counted, making up 92 per cent of the ballot papers issued – with 285 voting ‘yes’ and 26 voting ‘no’. One spoiled paper was also recorded.

The vote has no legal force and will not take Piddington out of the UK, but campaigners hope the gesture will send a message to Westminster over the proposed asylum accommodation at the former Ministry of Defence site at Bicester.

The result was announced by a returning officer to an audience of dozens of journalists and residents gathered outside Piddington village hall this morning. 

Parish council chairman Tim McNally said today that it was an ‘incredible day’, adding: ‘Yesterday was the anniversary of the Battle of Britain and for us it was the Battle for Britain. We’d been identified as Ground Zero for a whole number of issues.’

He spoke in front of a pennant reading ‘Battle for Britain 2026’ outside the village hall, alongside another marking the date of the Battle of Britain – September 15, 1940.

Addressing politicians including Prime Minister Andy Burnham, he added: ‘This is an example of democracy in action. This is an example of a mandate of behaviour.’

Mr McNally continued: ‘I didn’t realise what I was opening up and getting involved in. I just thought we were going to be opposing a plan. A plan that would have an impact on our village, that could turn our village upside down in a way not quite envisaged before.’

He described residents as ‘underdogs’ with a ‘plucky idea’, but said: ‘We have given an absolute message, not just to the region, not just to the country but to the world.’

Residents attend a parish council meeting in the village hall in Piddington yesterday

Parish council chairman Tim McNally told residents today that it was an ‘incredible day’

Piddington’s women campaigned against plans to house 1,250 asylum seekers in their village

The result comes as the Government’s planning application for the site remains under consideration.

The Home Office is seeking permission for the temporary use of the former Bicester Garrison, including new modular accommodation, health and welfare facilities, roads, security infrastructure and recreational areas, to accommodate up to 1,256 people.

The proposed site is now the subject of a formal consultation, with representations due by tomorrow. But the proposed number of asylum seekers would be more than three times the size of Piddington’s population, which is around 350 people.

The scale of the plans prompted the campaign, with residents arguing infrastructure and the local road network are not equipped to deal with the proposed development.

Pensioner Herbert Owen, known locally as Herbie, described the referendum as the ‘Battle of Britain’ after casting his vote. 

The 76-year-old said: ‘It means everything our grandparents, our parents fought for – today is the Battle of Britain. This isn’t just about Piddington, this is about our whole country. This Government is destabilising our country.

‘Wherever they put these people, in camps, in HMOs (houses in multiple occupation), or whatever, they’re ruining people’s lives.’

Mr Owen said Piddington was a ‘wonderful little village’ and that it had changed little since he moved there 33 years ago.

The referendum follows an earlier vote in July in which 96 per cent of those who took part backed holding an independence referendum.

The date of that vote, July 4, was deliberately chosen because it is associated with the American Declaration of Independence.

Residents have since stepped up their campaign against the asylum plans.

Last week, 133 women from Piddington wrote to female MPs warning that their lives could be transformed if the plans went ahead.

The letter said: ‘life as we know it will be destroyed’ if the plans succeed.

‘We will not feel safe walking our streets. We are already living in fear,’ they wrote.

More than 20 women have also reportedly signed up for self-defence classes after residents said they had been advised by police to take precautions.

A protest sign pictured outside the Bicester Ministry of Defence site in Oxfordshire

A blank ballot paper in Piddington

Residents gather waiting for the results to arrive

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Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe outside the village hall in Piddington

A protest sign is seen (bottom right) outside Bicester military camp this week

Melise Witkin, 59, said: ‘This is not about being rich or poor, this is about safety. People have worked really hard throughout their lives to live in this village.

‘It is not such a rich or poor village. I just don’t think that is a conversation to be had. This is about safety.

‘We are 356 people in the village with 46 children and 1,250 men turning up is a recipe for disaster. People walk their dogs, children play, I just think it is madness.

‘This is about safety, nothing more. Even for them [the asylum seekers], along that road there is no pavement, there are no street lights. We just have to be realistic.’

The road access has been a particular concern.

Parish councillor Mike Nixon said the proposed site has no pedestrian access areas and that the Government had suggested asylum seekers could be given high-visibility jackets while walking along a busy road.

He said: ‘The nearest path is about a mile and a quarter away, down a very busy road that’s unlit.’

The Government’s own travel plan describes pedestrian access as ‘limited’ and says travelling on foot is ‘not recommended’. It adds that cycling and public transport options may be provided.

The Government has stressed that the former military site would be designed to be largely self-contained to minimise its impact on the surrounding community.

A Home Office spokesman said the Government is working to ‘fairly house asylum seekers’ across the country as it closes asylum hotels.

‘As part of the process, we engage with local authorities and police forces to ensure the safety and security of those in the surrounding area,’ the spokesman added.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the Government was ‘working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country’.

Reform’s Suella Braverman backed the residents. She is pictured speaking to one of them

A sign for the village of Piddington is pictured next to another saying ‘350 residents, 1250 proposed, nearly 4x our village population’ – in reference to local objections to a government plan to house some 1,200 asylum seekers at a nearby Ministry of Defence (MoD) site

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Shadow home secretary Chris Philp (right) and shadow minister for women and equalities Joy Morrissey (left) speak with residents in the village

An ariel view of the village of Piddington in Oxfordshire

They said the government was ‘engaging with local authorities to reduce the impact on communities and we’ve saved taxpayers more than £1bn on asylum support costs since the election’.

‘The Home Office has submitted an application to obtain planning permission to use the Bicester site for asylum accommodation, but it remains the case that no final decision has been taken on the site’s future use,’ the spokesman added.

The Home Office first announced the Bicester proposal in June as part of its efforts to reduce reliance on asylum hotels and move people into alternative accommodation.

The current planning application is for up to 1,256 people and says the proposed use would be temporary.

The Home Office has stressed that submitting the application does not mean a final decision has been taken, with the proposal still subject to planning, due diligence and other approvals.

The referendum has nevertheless attracted national political attention.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said he would support other communities seeking to hold similar symbolic votes, while Reform MP Rupert Lowe told reporters outside Piddington village hall that the referendum should be ‘lauded’.

He said: ‘I think if we’re going to stop this, the people have to rise up and say they’ve had enough, and they’re not going to put up with this.’

Former Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman also visited the village before the vote.

She said: ‘This will dramatically transform the character of the village. These are the wrong plans for this village, and you know only harm and damage will come from it.

‘I applaud the efforts of these women to make their voices heard. They’ve spoken very powerfully, and they are the reason I’m here. I stand with them.’

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp also visited residents and said: ‘The mothers and grandmothers of Piddington are clearly terrified for the safety of their daughters and granddaughters, because we know young male illegal immigrants are disproportionately likely to commit sex offences and rape.

‘Being here underlines how important it is to kick out this Labour Government and leave the ECHR, which would enable us to deport illegal immigrants upon arrival, instead of imposing them on places like Piddington.’

The Government has not yet made a final decision on the future of the Bicester site.

And despite Piddington’s symbolic declaration of independence, the village remains legally part of the United Kingdom.

For residents, however, the vote was intended to demonstrate the strength of feeling over a development which they say would fundamentally alter their community.

The UK inflation rate rose to 3.1 per cent in the year to August, pushed up by “soaring” petrol and diesel prices.

The latest figures were released on Wednesday morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Inflation hit 2.9 per cent in July, which was its highest level in four months, after the price of energy was pushed up by the conflict in the Middle East.

Inflation measures the increase in the price of goods over time. The Bank of England has set a target of keeping the rate at 2 per cent.

The ONS said that the cost of transport, “particularly motor fuels”, made the largest upward contribution to the higher inflation rate.

“Sharp price rises for petrol and diesel pushed inflation up again in August,” ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said.

“Higher airfares, particularly for long-haul journeys, also contributed to the increase.”

Prices in the transport division rose by 4.6 per cent in the 12 months to August, the ONS said.

“The average price of petrol rose by 9.1 pence per litre between July and August 2026, compared with a rise of 0.3 pence per litre between July and August 2025.”

On Tuesday, the RAC said that the cost of filling a family car with fuel had risen by almost £5 since the start of September.

Average UK forecourt prices reached 170.54p a litre for petrol on Tuesday, while diesel climbed to 192.86p, the motoring services company said.

Diesel is now at its highest price since 29 July 2022, with petrol reaching levels not seen since 23 August 2022.

The Bank of England will meet on Thursday to decide whether to change its interest rate, which it uses to control inflation. The rate currently sits at 3.75 per cent.

This is a breaking news story. More follows. Subscribe here to get the latest updates from The Independent.

Meghan Markle has shared a family video and a four-word message for Prince Harry as he celebrates his 42nd birthday, showcasing snapshots of the couple and their children, Archie and Lilibet, enjoying family life

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Prince Harry is celebrating his 42nd today (September 15) and his wife Meghan Markle has issued a succinct four-word tribute. To mark the occasion, former Suits star Meghan shared a video montage of heartwarming family photographs set to the Føx and the Hound cover of the song Simply the Best.

Among the footage, Harry was pictured holding daughter Lilibet’s hand against a snowy backdrop during a skiing holiday. A further clip captured Harry riding alongside his daughter and son Archie on a red quad bike, with a black Labrador trotting along behind them on foot.

An additional clip featured a black-and-white photograph of Harry and Meghan sharing a kiss, alongside further glimpses into their family life. In the caption, Meghan, 45, offered her four-word verdict: “He’s simply the best.”

She then added: “Happy birthday, my love.” Comments on the Instagram post were disabled.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, who currently sits fifth in line to the British throne, famously stepped back from royal duties alongside his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in January 2020.

The couple then relocated to the United States, where they lived for six years before returning to the UK this summer.

A letter sent on behalf of King Charles by senior Palace official the Lord Chamberlain confirmed Prince Harry and Meghan remain non-working royals and will continue to be unable to use the titles “His and Her Royal Highness”. The correspondence stated the pair remain “private citizens” following their return.

The Sussex family have recently made headlines after taking the decision to withdraw their children from their new school.

Earlier this week, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, began attending a new school here in England, but amid security concerns, the siblings will now be moving to a different one.

On Monday (September 14), a spokesperson for the couple told USA TODAY: “The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements.

“The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family.”

The spokesperson further stated: “This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.”

Prince Harry and Meghan have been together for over 10 years, having reportedly been introduced through a mutual friend on a blind date in July 2016.

Their romance was publicly confirmed in November of that year, with their engagement announced 12 months later on November 27, 2017 by King Charles III, who was at the time the Prince of Wales.

The couple were married on Saturday, May 19 2018 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and together have two children, Prince Archie Harrison and Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Without the world reducing climate-warming emissions, most of which come from burning fossil fuels for power, homes, transport and industry, to net zero, global temperatures will continue to rise with worsening impacts including extreme heatwaves, floods, drought and rising seas.

Three people have died after a news helicopter crashed into the ground as reporters covered another deadly bus crash in Los Angeles.

NewsChopper 4, which provides coverage for NBC LA and a local Telemundo channel, fell from the sky in Chatsworth.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the helicopter crashed while circling the bus accident below.

Four vehicles were damaged and police are investigating what prompted the crash.

‘From the helicopter itself, it’s pretty well destroyed,’ the police said in a statement.’

NBC and Telemundo said: ‘We are deeply saddened to share that a helicopter providing aerial news coverage for NBC4 and Telemundo 52 was involved in a fatal accident in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening[

‘We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

The SNP is resorting to “gimmicks” to sell the idea of Scottish independence to voters, a leading expert on the party has said.

Professor James Mitchell rubbished John Swinney’s prediction that Andy Burnham would be the last Prime Minister of the UK – and said the case for independence had not been moved forward by this week’s Cardiff summit.

And the academic, who has studied the history of Scottish nationalism for 40 years, said the meeting in Wales which brought together the leaders of the SNP, Sinn Fein and Plaid Cymru was “yet another blind alley”.

Swinney used a press conference in the Welsh capital to insist he would continue pushing for an IndyRef2 by 2031 and claim the UK’s days were numbered.

He later signed a joint agreement which declared: “The political landscape across these islands is changing.”

Mitchell told the Record: “The claim Burnham will be the last UK Prime Minister will be forgotten long before it is disproved.

“John Swinney knows this, which allows him to say it. It’s easy to say something to get a headline, knowing it will soon be forgotten – just as the numerous other predictions of independence’s imminence have been.

“The SNP approach is now very clear. Lots of gimmicks, declarations and the like, but evade the weaknesses exposed in the 2014 referendum – currency, pensions, Scotland’s very challenging fiscal status, and how to attain EU membership criteria.

“Without credible answers, it is easier to indulge in posturing – but these matters are real and unavoidable.”

Mitchell described the Cardiff summit as “novel” but “lacking in substance”. And the academic at the University of Edinburgh said Swinney would be “relieved” independence was being talked about rather than the recent Pisa report which found standards in Scots schools slipping.

He added: “The fact that the leaders of three minority parties are First Minister is indeed novel but does not materially change the constitutional situation.

“While Plaid saw a significant breakthrough in Wales in May, the SNP and Sinn Fein have lost momentum.

“This is an example of the SNP’s tactic of appearing to take the constitutional debate forward any real progress.

“The agreement is yet another blind alley in the pursuit of the SNP’s aim of independence. John Swinney will at least be relieved to have the constitution talked about, even if to no effect, rather than the latest PISA results.”

The first ministers of the UK’s three devolved nations used Monday’s summit to declare that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end”. During what Swinney described as a “landmark day”, he predicted Burnham would be “the last Prime Minister of the United Kingdom”.

Asked by reporters whether the summit was an “appropriate use” of their offices, the First Minister insisted he was “simply advancing the mandate that was given to me by the public”.

The SNP fell seven seats short of a majority at May’s election – the benchmark Swinney had previously suggested was needed for him to begin negotiations with the UK Government over holding another referendum.

Half of drivers now say potholes are their ‘biggest worry’

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A summer of high temperatures will lead to more potholes during winter, the RAC has warned. Many parts of the UK experienced record temperatures during a summer frequented by heatwaves and it is these periods which will create even more potholes.

The RAC points towards the negative effect which UV rays have on the bitumen used to bind road materials together. When exposed to long durations of high temperatures, this can cause asphalt to become brittle and break away when it cools.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “As UV and heat oxidise the bitumen binder in asphalt, it becomes harder and less flexible which leads to cracking. Then water penetrates cracks and as vehicles drive over them, the surface breaks and potholes start to appear. This is the last thing our already fragile roads needed.”

A recent Report on Motoring conducted by the RAC spoke to 2,238 drivers and found that half of drivers saw potholes as their biggest worry, up from 47 per cent last year. Some 83 per cent of drivers say they encounter a pothole on most trips they make by car, while more than half come across potholes on every trip. In addition, 58 per cent say that they have to make an effort to avoid them on every trip.

Williams added: “Potholes are often associated with cold or wet winters, but prolonged periods of hot, sunny weather also takes its toll on the roads. Intense UV exposure and heat gradually oxidise the bitumen that binds asphalt together, making surfaces more brittle and prone to cracking.

“Once cracks develop, traffic and later rainfall can quickly turn them into serious defects.: