Consumer Confidence Boost: A BRC-Opinium survey says UK consumer confidence has strengthened, with expectations for the economy over the next three months improving to -28 from -36, and retail spending expectations rising to +8 from +1—giving Andy Burnham a “golden opportunity” ahead of the Autumn Budget. Public Services & Cost Pressure: The same survey warns momentum depends on whether the government can ease household pressure, including energy bills and business rates. Energy Policy Clash: Burnham faces a decision on whether to authorise North Sea drilling at Jackdaw (gas) and Rosebank (oil), after court rulings forced reapplications over carbon emissions. Food Safety Shock: UKHSA reports a salmonella outbreak linked to imported eggs: 1 death and 207 cases so far, with risk still described as low but investigations ongoing. Business Rates & Local Impact: Private parking firms issued 16.9m tickets in the year to March, up from 14.4m, renewing calls to move faster on a code of practice. AI Investment: UK startup Callosum raises $100m seed to optimise AI inference by routing workloads to the best chip and model. Tech & Infrastructure: Planning approval for a major data centre near Graven Hill in Bicester has reignited debate over electricity capacity and network readiness. Labour & Skills: Engineering degree apprenticeships at top UK universities are up 12% over two years, despite earlier funding cuts. Charity Retail Uncertainty: Oxfam says it “cannot give guarantees” for its high street shops as it reviews warehouse operations amid a difficult economic climate.