London Underground strikes called off; UK government borrowing falls – as it happened

Planned tube strikes next week called off after talks breakthrough; government borrows 18.5bn in June, third-highest June borrowing on record

After a small drop yesterday, average mortgage rates have ticked up again, despite a sharp slowdown in UK inflation to 7.9% and expectations that interest rates probably won't have to rise above 6%, as previously feared.

The two-year fixed residential mortgage rose to 6.8% today from 6.79% yesterday, while the five-year fix edged up to 6.32% from 6.31%, according to Moneyfacts.

I don't think it can end with this apology... It may not end for chief executive Alison Rose, in particular, and for the banking industry. You can't have what is essentially a kind of a fundamental utility type industry deciding who will say what and who's free to give political opinions and who isn't. It kind of strikes at the core of democracy and I don't think it can end here now.

I mean, the big issue really is what Alison Rose knew about this, was this decision to de-bank Farage actually run by her personally, was she briefed about it, or was it taken at a lower level?

It depends entirely on on how much she knew, and when. And the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, will be quite interested in the briefing that went on before the full story broke.

Alison Rose's mantra has always been inclusive. Inclusivity is at the heart of our organisation.