Jo Coburn paints a dreary picture of the fiscal reality facing John Healey before he delivers his first budget. “The question for the chancellor is whether there's any room to offer relief, or whether families will be expected to absorb the rise on their own?” @Jo_Coburn

“Environmentalists arguing against this need to check themselves and say, would we rather use LNG or this gas from Jackdaw for a few years.” Those against the Jackdaw gas field have “blind anger” against fossil fuels, says Labour donor and founder of Ecotricity, Dale Vince.

With Andy Burnham referring to ‘quasi-judicial’ processes to grant new oil and gas licences, Hugo Rifkind (unsuccessfully) attempts to discover the meaning behind Westminster’s latest word salad. “Explain it to me!” “I can’t” @hugorifkind

Former political director to the Rachel Reeves Matt Pound says his former boss managed to “set the UK in a stronger position”, despite her unpopularity. “There are just no two ways about it, she took on a tremendous amount of personal and professional criticism.” @hugorifkind

Stig Abell asks former immigration minister Mike Tapp if we’ve become “addicted” to cheap foreign labour propping up industries like social care. “That argument is right … So look, we need to ensure that we are encouraging our young people into work.” @StigAbell | @MikeTappTweets

Warning: This video contains distressing themes. The fourth alleged victim of Russell Brand has given her testimony at court. “She felt dirty, shocked, stunned, and shaken.” Russell Brand denies the charges. Listen to The Trial of Russell Brand wherever you get your podcasts.

“Do you think we could see scenes like we’re seeing in France on British streets?” “We could see them.” Kemi Badenoch says the protests in France are a warning sign for the UK. @AVMikhailova | @KemiBadenoch

Elon Musk’s Doge promised $2 trillion in savings. In reality it’s saved “zero” says Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short and Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State. “The mess on the other side cost more than the benefits from the cuts.”

“I thought this was the brave prime minister who wanted to rewire our whole country?” Stig Abell wonders why Andy Burnham and John Healey aren’t willing to take risks with the budget. @StigAbell | @KateEMcCann

William Hague declares Trump the worst president of his lifetime, and struggles to see how anyone could have a different opinion. “This mishandling of world affairs … is the most serious development and negative development in the world since the Second World War.“ @StigAbell | @WilliamJHague

Angela Rayner says the home secretary has her “full confidence” to deliver “fair” migration reforms. “I’m confident that Shabana will land in a place that is fair to the taxpayers, fair to people who come to this country, who contribute." @AngelaRayner | @StigAbell

It will be a “challenge” to meet the Labour manifesto target of building 1.5 million new homes, and global events have made it “more difficult”, admits housing secretary Angela Rayner. “You have to set a stretching target.” @AngelaRayner | @StigAbell

Ed Miliband is "not anti-Israeli and definitely not anti-Semite", says former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert. "He's just responding in a manner which seems to be - to him - inevitable considering what happens."

Listen to live updates through the day on Times Radio. Watch or listen to The Trial of Russell Brand every weekday wherever you get your podcasts.

“The process itself becomes the persecution." British soldiers and those in the special forces are finding themselves caught in "never ending" lawfare, says Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, David Johnstone. @Jo_Coburn

“France has a long history of street protest and disorder, but what has been unleashed in cities across the country in recent days is unprecedented.” French protesters took to the streets after a “near total loss of faith in government”, says Times Radio presenter @Jo_Coburn.

Former SAS commander Richard Williams says special forces leaders could have pursued the Syria investigation "to send a message," saying the incident was likely a "routine" situation where a "suspected enemy [was] killed under reasonable circumstances."