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Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailA new government plan to wipe out all badgers in certain areas has prompted a fresh row between officials and wildlife activists.Badgers are blamed for carrying bovine tuberculosis (bTB), which forces dairy farmers to have infected herds culled.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has back-tracked on earlier promises to end the badger cull, which began in 2013.Instead, as revealed by The Independent last month, officials are proposing to allow 100 per cent of populations to be killed in “cluster” hot spots for the disease. Until now, the target was 70 per cent or above.But animal-welfare supporters are considering renewed legal action over the policy.They claim:The cull is politically motivated to suit certain factions, especially farmersThere are no restrictions on the number of cull areas and the public will not know where they areSlack controls will confuse enforcement bodies and the publicThe numbers killed could double in just over a decade to half a millionDefra is ignoring the science that has disproven evidence officials are relying onUnder targeted culling – or “epidemiological culling” – badgers may be wiped out in areas, mostly southwest England, where bovine TB (bTB) is considered a particular threat.The deadlier policy could begin next year. The government had previously indicated culling could be ended by 2026 before Thursday’s u-turn. Labour has promised to end the cull if it wins power at the general election.Tom Langton, an ecologist who has challenged culling in the courts, said 100 per cent culling was tried in 2018 in Cumbria. “They shot 1,115 badgers – all of them – but could not then attribute change in TB rates to culling as seven farms were quite clearly reinfecting themselves because of the failed testing regime,” he said.He cited a report that found no demonstrable benefit in lower TB rates in cattle.“The new prolonged killing spree, under what looks like a highly simplified licence system, could see the badger tally rise from around 250,000 shot to-date, towards 300,000 by 2030 and half a million by 2038,” he said.“This would be a cull of largely healthy adult badgers and their cubs, cruelly slaughtered using crude methods opposed by the British Veterinary Association, and for no good reason.”The High Court rejected a legal challenge by Mr Langton to culling in 2018, but he said The Badger Crowd organisation, of which he is a member, could consider joining separate legal action already underway.Peter Hambly, executive director of the Badger Trust, said the consultation announced by Defra revealed “yet another appalling attack on a protected native species”.He said tackling bTB could only be done by accurate herd management, more rigorous reliable testing and cattle vaccination. But “the government appears only to listen to stakeholders with vested interests and is fixated instead on a badger-focused policy that affects all of us and our right to nature.“Government bTB policy in England continues to allow poor hygiene and biosecurity on farms yet still provides millions of pounds in compensation to farmers, and the movement of cattle across the country under knowingly unreliable testing and biosecurity regimes.”Government sources hit back, saying the aim of the policy was not to kill all badgers.Environment secretary Steve Barclay said: “Bovine TB has taken a terrible toll on farmers, leading to the loss of highly prized animals and, in the worst cases, valued herds.“There are no easy answers in the battle against TB, but badger culling has proved highly effective and needs to remain a key part of our approach.“Our strategy has led to a significant reduction in this insidious disease, which we will continue to cull in areas where the evidence confirms it is required, as well as making use of vaccinations.” More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailThe government is set to create a list of “extremist” groups that will be blacklisted from funding and prevented from meeting ministers and civil servants under new plans drawn up by Michael Gove.Mr Gove, the levelling up secretary, said he will use a new definition of extremism to try and crack down on the “pervasiveness of extremist ideologies” that have “become increasingly clear” in the aftermath of the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel.The definition says extremism is the advancement of a violent, hateful or intolerant ideology that aims to “negate or destroy” the rights of others, or which aims to “undermine, overturn or replace” the UK’s democracy and democratic rights.Extremism is also defined as the promotion of an ideology that aims to “intentionally create a permissive environment” for others to achieve the same aims.The definition does not create new powers, is not statutory and has no effect on existing criminal law. Michael Gove has been criticised for his plans which some say are a threat to freedom of expressionThe new definition has already faced criticism from three former home secretaries and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, all of whom cautioned the government over the risk of politicising anti-extremism.The archbishop said that the plans risk “disproportionately targeting Muslim communities”. He added: “The new definition being proposed not only inadvertently threatens freedom of speech, but also the right to worship and peaceful protest – things that have been hard won and form the fabric of a civilised society.”Government officials insist that the definition sets a “high bar” that will only capture the most concerning activities. Those who provide a “permissive environment” for extremist groups will be classed as those who repeatedly offer a platform for individuals despite knowing that they have been blacklisted, for example.As well as not receiving funding or meeting with ministers, extremist groups or individuals will be barred from public appointments and from receiving honours.The government published the extremism definition on Thursday and civil servants will now spend the next few weeks deciding which groups fit the criteria. Inclusion on the list will then be signed off by Mr Gove. The Department for Levelling Up has committed to publishing the list when it is complete and has not ruled out putting individuals on the list in the future.Those who are designated as extremists will be contacted by officials and given the opportunity to provide mitigating evidence, detailing why they shouldn’t be included. But once they are included on the list of extremist organisations their only recourse will be in the courts.It is likely that one or more of the groups listed will try to bring a judicial review against the policy.Mr Gove announced the new definition by praising the diversity of Britain, but he warned that British values and democracy are “under challenge from extremists”. He added: “The pervasiveness of extremist ideologies has become increasingly clear in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks and poses a real risk to the security of our citizens and our democracy.Read: A defining moment as ministers update what counts as extremism“This is the work of the extreme right-wing and Islamist extremists who are seeking to separate Muslims from the rest of society and create division within Muslim communities. They seek to radicalise individuals, deny people their full rights, suppress freedom of expression, incite hatred, and undermine our democratic institutions.”Mr Gove said that the measures would “ensure that government does not inadvertently provide a platform to those setting out to subvert democracy and deny other people’s fundamental rights”. Speaking to media on Thursday morning, Mr Gove suggested that a Tory donor’s alleged call for a Black MP to be “shot” would not meet the new definition of extremist. Businessman Frank Hester is alleged to have said that Diane Abbott, Britain’s first black female MP, made him “want to hate all black women”, in comments described as “racist” by the prime minister. Mr Gove told Times Radio: “I wouldn’t want to conflate those motivated by extremist ideology with an individual comment, however horrific, which has quite rightly been called out and which has quite rightly led to an apology.”Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader reacted to the announcement by saying that “tinkering with a new definition” was not enough to tackle extremism. She added: “The government’s counterextremism strategy is now nine years out of date, and they’ve repeatedly failed to define Islamophobia. Any suggestion that the government has been engaging with groups that they’ve now decided are extremists raises serious questions over why it has taken so long to act.”The announcement comes as polling from More in Common finds that 25 per cent of the public thinks the UK is unsafe for Muslims and 39 per cent think it is unsafe for Jews. This is compared to 15 per cent of those surveyed saying Britain was unsafe for them personally. The polling company surveyed 2,027 adults. More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailPeers have voted to exempt Afghan heroes who have supported UK troops from being sent to Rwanda as part of Rishi Sunak’s flagship small boats bill. The House of Lords backed an amendment on Wednesday night that would prevent the government from removing anyone who supported British armed forces in an “exposed or meaningful manner” from being deported to the African country. It comes after extensive reporting by The Independent on the plight of Afghan heroes who helped the British but were left behind after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.Two former chiefs of defence staff, a former defence secretary and a former British ambassador to the US were among the Lords who supported the clause. Peers voted 244 to 160 in favour of the amendment tabled by Labour peer Des Browne, which also covers the family members of those who supported British troops. The Independent has documented a number of cases of asylum seekers who supported the UK armed forces efforts in Afghanistan and who have since been threatened with removal to Rwanda after arriving in the UK via small boat. Peers inflicted a number of heavy defeats against Mr Sunak’s bill on Wednesday night. The House of Lords also backed an amendment that would overturn the government’s plan to oust the domestic courts from the process of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. The clause, backed by 278 votes to 189, restores the jurisdiction of the domestic courts in determining the safety of Rwanda and allows them to intervene in certain cases. Ahead of the next election, Rishi Sunak has made ‘stopping the boats’ a key pledge of his leadershipMr Sunak’s government is using the Safety of Rwanda Bill to try and prevent any legal challenges by asylum seekers to their deportation. The bill also currently gives ministers the power to ignore emergency injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights, aiming at clearing the way to send asylum seekers on flights to Rwanda by spring. Peers in the House of Lords also voted by 265 to 181 to enable UK courts to consider appeals against age assessment decisions before a person claiming to be an unaccompanied child is removed to Rwanda. The latest government setbacks to its Rwanda Bill follow five defeats on Monday, setting the stage for an extended tussle between the Commons and Lords during “ping-pong”, where legislation is batted between the two Houses until agreement is reached.The prime minister had previously warned the Lords against frustrating “the will of the people” by hampering the passage of the bill, which has already been approved by MPs.Ahead of the next election, Mr Sunak has made “stopping the boats” a key pledge of his leadership.Speaking against the bill on Wednesday, Labour frontbencher Lord Coaker said: “The courts are there to ensure justice is done and I think justice in this case does require the ability for the law, as it impacts on an individual, to be tested in the courts.“That strikes me as something which is fundamental to the way rule of law operates.“Sometimes that’s really inconvenient to governments… but justice is an important part of our democracy.”Speaking in favour of the amendment to stop the deportation of age-disputed children, Lord Dubs, a former child refugee from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, said: “It’s difficult assessing the age of children, officials can get it wrong, and this modest amendment simply seeks to provide a safeguard against getting it wrong. Yes, the minister can say, ‘If we get it wrong the child can be brought back from Rwanda’. What a terrible thing to subject a child to.“Asylum-seeking children are among the most vulnerable of all asylum seekers.”Lord Alf Dubs is veteran campaigner for refugeesThe Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, a former child refugee from Iran, said: “Safeguarding is not some burdensome requirement, but a legal and moral imperative.”She asked: “Would you consent for this course of action for your own child or grandchild? I do not believe there is any one among us who would.”The government’s own provisions in the Safety of Rwanda Bill would mean a person claiming to be an unaccompanied child is assessed by two Home Office officials and a decision is made based on appearance and demeanour.If they are judged to be an adult, they will be sent to Rwanda. The unamended bill would allow judicial review if certain conditions are met, but the person claiming to be a child would need to engage with the process from Rwanda.They would also only be able to challenge the decision based on an error in the law, not on the basis of an error in fact. More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailParents have been warned of new rules for taking their children out of school, with higher fines set to be introduced for those who don’t seek permission.The controversial move follows a drop in attendance after the pandemic and a rise in homeschooling.School absence fines currently start at £60, rising to £120 if they are not paid within 21 days. But the DfE has said fines will now start at £80, rising to £160.Data reveals that nearly 90% of fines were for unauthorised holidays, often booked outside school terms for financial reasons.While Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has emphasised the importance of attendance, critics argue that fines may not be the most effective tool. They call for targeted resources to address the root causes of poor attendance, including support for vulnerable families and children’s mental health.We want to know if you think these steeper penalties will fix widespread truancy issues, or will they simply punish parents who are already trying their best to get their children to school?And even if you don’t struggle the peel your child from their bed in the morning, with the cost of going away rocketing during school holidays, many parents are understandably tempted to take their children abroad in term time to save pennies and allow their family to experience the wonders of travel.If you want to share your opinion then add it in the comments and we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can then take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Join the conversation with other Independent readers below or by clicking here. More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailThe average council tax bill across England is more than £2,000 a year – and it’s only set to get more costly come April.For many, council tax is likely to increase by the maximum amount possible as local authorities across the country hope to boost their finances.By increasing council tax by 4.99 per cent, the levelling-up department is hoping to raise £2bn from taxpayers despite Rishi Sunak’s suggestion of pre-election giveaways.Most of us have to pay council tax, whether you are a homeowner or renter. The money is used to fund a range of services, including street lamps, libraries and waste collection.A portion also goes towards local police and fire and rescue services.What you pay is determined by what your property would have sold for in 1991 in England and 2003 in Wales, as well as your personal circumstances. With another rise imminent, we want to know whether you think council tax provides value for money.Do you think the right services are getting the money where you are? Are there enough concessions on council tax during a cost of living crisis? And would you be happy to pay more to make your area a better place to live?If you want to share your opinion then add it in the comments and we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can then take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Join the conversation with other Independent readers below. More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailThe government is facing questions over the effectiveness of Britain’s nuclear deterrent after a test launch of the UK’s Trident nuclear missile failed, crashing back into the ocean close to the submarine that fired it.The unarmed Trident II missile was launched from the nuclear-powered HMS Vanguard as part of final tests following a £500m overhaul, before the vessel returns to patrol service.“It left the submarine but it just went plop, right next to them,” a source said.The launch was carried out off the east coast of Florida on 30 January but has only just been revealed.Shapps said the government retained ‘absolute confidence’ in the UK’s nuclear deterrentThe failure, at a time of heightened international tensions and when the readiness of Britain’s navy is under scrutiny, is embarrassing for ministers. Another Trident missile veered off course during a test launch in 2016.Defence secretary Grant Shapps was on board the 150-metre submarine at the time of the most recent failure, and first sea lord Admiral Sir Ben Key was also reportedly there.The Labour Party has sought assurances from Rishi Sunak in the wake of the incident, calling the missile test failure “concerning”.But Mr Shapps said the government retained “absolute confidence” in the UK’s nuclear deterrent.The “anomaly” had no implications for the UK’s ability to deploy nuclear weapons, he insisted.It comes just 10 days after the departure of the UK’s flagship aircraft carrier for a major Nato exercise was postponed after an unspecified “issue” was found in final checks.Last month, Mr Shapps said the UK was in a “pre-war” phase.However, former Trades Union Congress (TUC) chief Frances O’Grady said the vision of Mr Shapps on board seemed like “a terrible metaphor for what is happening in the country”.“We know about the squeeze on budgets; we have 25,000 fewer troops than in 2010; we know how important the defence sector is for jobs, but lots of procurement failures too,” she told the BBC’s Politics Live.“It feels like this is a time, especially in a world that feels really unsafe, where we need a proper strategic review and a look at what are the real threats we face and the best way to meet them.”The Trident missile had been due to land thousands of miles away, in the Atlantic Ocean between Brazil and west Africa.It was successfully propelled into the air by compressed gas in the launch pipe, but the first-stage boosters did not ignite and the missile crashed back into the water.Former Royal Navy warfare officer Chris Parry said the missile had operated correctly – the procedural error meant a command abort had to happen for safety reasons.Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute, a defence and security think tank, said the Vanguard fleet was operating beyond its expected service life.“They’re working on the basis that the Vanguard submarines are going to be at least a decade beyond their original service lives,” he said. “And that creates stresses and strains on the system.”HMS Vengeance, another Royal Navy Vanguard class Trident ballistic missile submarineShadow defence secretary John Healey said: “Reports of a Trident test failure are concerning. The defence secretary will want to reassure parliament that this test has no impact on the effectiveness of the UK’s deterrent operations.“Labour’s support for the UK’s nuclear deterrent is total. We recognise the special service of those who’ve maintained our continuous at-sea deterrence for over 50 years.”Mr Shapps said the test had been the culmination of a “demonstration and shakedown operation” to gauge the performance of Vanguard’s weapons and crew after the refit.He said the operation reaffirmed the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, and that the submarine and crew were “successfully certified” ready for operation, but that an anomaly had occurred that was “event-specific”.“There are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpiles,” he said.“Nor are there any implications for our ability to fire our nuclear weapons, should the circumstances arise in which we need to do so.”The prime minister’s official spokesperson said the government had “complete confidence” in Britain’s nuclear deterrent.He repeated the Ministry of Defence’s explanation that there had been an “anomaly”, but said that, for national security reasons, he was unable to expand on what that meant.“There was this specific anomaly, but we are confident that the anomaly was specific to the test and that there are no wider implications,” he said.Britain’s nuclear deterrent is provided by four nuclear-powered submarines equipped with the American-built Trident ballistic missile system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The warheads are built in Britain.Britain and the US say there have been more than 190 successful tests of Trident, which can be fired at targets up to 4,000 miles away and can travel at more than 13,000 miles an hour according to the Royal Navy.In the 1980s, the UK spent £12.52bn on acquiring Trident – the equivalent of £21bn in 2022-23 prices, according to figures from the House of Commons Library.It costs around £3bn a year to operate.The Ministry of Defence said it is spending more than £50bn a year in cash terms on the armed forces, “supporting global deployments and continuing to invest in new tanks, fighter jets and warships”. More

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsInflation unexpectedly held steady last month as food prices fell for the first time in almost two-and-a-half years, official figures show.Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation remained unchanged at 4% in January, lower than the 4.2% that economists had forecast although still double the Bank of England’s 2% target, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.The monthly drop in food prices, of 0.4%, was the first since September 2021, with the cost of bread and cereals, cream crackers and chocolate biscuits falling, the ONS said.While food and non-alcoholic beverage prices are still 7% higher than a year ago, the category saw the slowest rate of increase since April 2022.On a monthly basis, food and non-alcoholic beverage prices fell by 0.4% between December and January.Most of this drop was down to a 1.3% decrease in bread and cereal prices – the largest in that category since May 2021.The ONS said seven out of 11 types of food and non-alcoholic beverages it tracks put downward pressure on the inflation figure last month.The monthly drop in food prices, of 0.4%, was the first since September 2021Despite the most recent fall, food and non-alcoholic beverages are around 25% more expensive than they were in January 2022. In the entire decade before that, prices only rose around 10%.ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said: “Inflation was unchanged in January, reflecting counteracting effects within the basket of goods and services.“The price of gas and electricity rose at a higher rate than this time last year due to the increase in the energy price cap, while the cost of second-hand cars went up for the first time since May.“Offsetting these, prices of furniture and household goods decreased by more than a year ago and food prices fell on the month for the first time in over two years.“All of these factors combined resulted in no change to the headline rate this month.”Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “Inflation never falls in a perfect straight line, but the plan is working. We have made huge progress in bringing inflation down from 11%, and the Bank of England forecast that it will fall to around 2% in a matter of months.”Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “After 14 years of economic failure, working people are worse off. Prices are still rising in the shops, with the average household’s costs up £110 a week compared to before the last election.“Inflation is still higher than the Bank of England’s target and millions of families are struggling with the cost of living.“The Conservatives cannot fix the economy because they are the reason it is broken. It’s time for change. Only Labour has a long-term plan to get Britain’s future back by delivering more jobs, more investment and cheaper bills.” More

Inflation could rise in second half of 2024, Andrew Bailey says as interest rates held at 5.25%Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailEconomists are bracing for rises in the cost of living to have accelerated for a second month, as the Office for National Statistics publishes new data on inflation.While inflation has fallen from a 41-year high of 11.1 per cent in October 2022 to below prime minister Rishi Sunak’s stated goal of 5 per cent by the end of 2023, it remains above the Bank of England’s longstanding target of 2 per cent.While chancellor Jeremy Hunt celebrated a surprise fall to 3.9 per cent in November, the rate of inflation rose again in December to 4 per cent – and is now expected to have done so again last month.The fresh figures, due on Wednesday morning, are expected to show that Consumer Prices Index inflation – a measure of the costs that households face – hit 4.2 per cent in January.Economists will be watching keenly for signs on what impact the figures could have on the Bank of England’s base interest rate, which is causing pain for borrowers and homeowners struggling with higher mortgage rates.Show latest update 1707878340FTSE 100 drops as interest rate concerns weigh on housebuildersLondon’s markets slid in a gloomy afternoon session amid concerns over persistent inflation, reports Henry Saker-Clark.The FTSE 100 had a cautious morning of trading but quickly dropped to its lowest point this month after hotter-than-expected US Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figures.The data suggested hopes of interest rate reductions soon could be premature and particularly dented housebuilders amid concerns about the mortgage market.London’s top index moved 0.81 per cent, or 61.41 points, lower to finish at 7,512.28, with Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments and Persimmon all notable fallers.Andy Gregory14 February 2024 02:391707874380What has been happening to wages?Wage growth has slowed to its lowest level for more than a year but is still outpacing inflation, according to official figures.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said average regular pay growth, excluding bonuses, fell to 6.2% in the quarter to December, down from an upwardly revised 6.7 per cent in the three months to November.This was the slowest growth since the three months to October 2022.But when taking Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation into account, real regular wages rose by 1.9 per cent – a high since summer 2019, excluding the pandemic-skewed years.This is thanks to inflation having fallen back sharply after hitting an eye-watering 41-year high of 11.1 per cent seen in October 2022.But the fall in wage growth was less than expected by most experts and in financial markets, with investors reining in their bets on interest rate cuts this year after the data.Andy Gregory14 February 2024 01:331707870660Wage rise data could also impact inflation and interest ratesThe higher-than-expected wage rises in Tuesday’s Office for National Statistics figures will also spark worries of delayed cuts to the Bank of England’s base interest rate – given that wage rises can push up inflation.“Today’s wage rises contribute to tomorrow’s spending power, impacting demand and influencing inflation, so the Bank will be keenly monitoring average earnings growth in particular,” said Rob Morgan, chief investment analyst at Charles Stanley.“Resilient wages have been a driver of sticky consumer price inflation, and they are not falling back into line as fast as the BoE (Bank of England) would like as it looks to return inflation to the 2 per cent target.“What’s more, a further inflationary impulse could lie in wait in the form of an increase to the national minimum wage of almost 10 per cent from April, which stands to simultaneously increase costs for employers and bolster household spending power, potentially exerting further upward pressure on prices.”Andy Gregory14 February 2024 00:311707867386How will new inflation figures impact on the Bank of England’s base interest rate?Economists will be tracking the data to try to figure out what influence it might have on the Bank of England.The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is tasked with keeping inflation as close to 2 per cent as possible.One of the main ways it has to do this is by changing interest rates. By increasing rates it restricts the amount of money that mortgage holders have to spend, therefore reducing demand for goods and services. That can help take pressure off prices.So if inflation is higher than the 4.1 per cent the MPC expected in its last forecast, that could make rate setters more likely to delay cuts to the base rate.Andy Gregory13 February 2024 23:361707863966Why have mortgage rates gone up?Following a period of decline in borrowing costs, several major mortgage lenders have announced increases in rates in recent days, my colleague Alex Ross reports.Mortgage rates are closely tied to swap rates, which is effectively the rate the lenders pay a financial institution for funding, and that is affected by the Bank of England’s base interest rate and inflation.Tomorrow, experts believe inflation will go up marginally from the annual 4 per cent recorded last month.Ken James, director at Contractor Mortgage Services, told The Independent: “Lenders at the moment are pricing in potential inflation rises.“I think what they are doing is safeguarding. They are saying ‘we think that everything is going to rise with all these figures coming in and therefore let’s partly protect ourselves against that future rise and get it in early’.“I think with tomorrow, because I’m pretty confident rates are going to rise with inflation, I think lenders have just done it early, I think they are just protecting themselves.”Andy Gregory13 February 2024 22:391707860486What’s happening to your mortgage as major lender hikes rates ahead of inflation announcementIt’s been a turbulent few days for prospective and current homeowners looking for mortgages, with several major lenders announcing increases in rates after a period of decline in borrowing costs.Nationwide, the country’s biggest building society, revealed its mortgage rates would rise by up to 0.25 percentage points on Tuesday. It comes after lenders Halifax and TSB said they were also raising rates on some of their products.But, strangely, other lenders have gone in the other direction. Santander has announced mortgage rate cuts of 0.16 percentage points.The mixed picture for mortgage rates comes after the Bank of England held its base rate at 5.25 per cent earlier this month. However, it is Wednesday’s release of inflation figures which appear to have resulted in what some brokers are calling a “yo-yo” market.My colleague Alex Ross reports:Andy Gregory13 February 2024 21:411707857246Inflation still likely to have fallen in February, economist saysDespite an expected blip in Wedesday’s figures, inflation could fall as low as 3.4 per cent in February, an economist has said.Samuel Tombs, the chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics who believes that inflation hit 4.1 per cet in January, said that regardless of Wednesday’s data, inflation is likely to fall considerably, to 3.4 per cent, this month.Andy Gregory13 February 2024 20:471707853826How has the rate of inflation changed in recent years?This graphic by the PA news agency charts the rate of inflation as recorded in recent years by the Office for National Statistics: More