inflation

Many in the electorate were still furious over the corruption scandal that implicated senior members of the LDP, and were struggling to deal with rising inflation and a cost of living crisis.

This is partly a story about the enduring allure of the almost-fascist far right in societies plagued by rising inflation, worsening inequality and internal tensions over race and immigration.

In this case the UK's high inflation, and any doubt after the summer U-turns about the government's control over events, could quickly turn problematic.

However, the bus company's general manager Paul Townley said the offer they made was "well above inflation".

"However, softer earnings growth, higher inflation, tighter fiscal policy, and the lagged impact of past interest rate rises for some mortgagors point to much weaker real income growth moving forward."