New figures from the Office for National Statistics this morning make better-than-expected reading for Hunt and Sunak as CPI inflation for the year to January sticks at 4%. The figure rose last month after 10 months of drops. Economists expected a rise of 4.2% this time…

The government was privately expecting a larger increase thanks to the lifted energy price cap and rising alcohol prices, which didn’t materialise. Inflation is expected to drop more significantly this month. Onwards and downwards…