Ministers plan nationwide live facial recognition, letting police match CCTV to the passport photo database. They say it will speed suspect identification; critics warn of privacy risks, false matches and mission creep. Statutory oversight and safeguards are promised.

The Treasury’s permanent secretary has been drawn into a dispute over the Chancellor’s claims about the state of the public finances and the OBR’s advice. A released letter suggests her remarks misled the public, prompting fresh questions over how the fiscal outlook was presented.

Rachel Reeves is under pressure after OBR chair Richard Hughes was pushed out just before he was due to give Budget evidence to MPs. Critics accuse the Treasury of silencing scrutiny after an internal row; ministers deny interference. MPs from across parties want full transparency and his testimony.

Rachel Reeves faces a referral to government ethics officials after Nigel Farage alleged she misled the public about the size of the fiscal gap used to justify tax rises. He says forecasts don’t back her headroom claims; the Treasury says its figures reflect OBR assessments.