Sunak rewrites budget as cost of living crisis grows

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( March 21, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / Business and unions demand urgent action on cost-of-living crisis in Sunak’s ‘moment of truth’ mini-budget]( Chancellor Rishi Sunak has ordered last-minute changes to Wednesday’s mini-budget after being warned he faces a “moment of truth” this week on the cost-of-living crisis. The Independent has learnt the Office for Budget Responsibility has been told to recalculate fiscal forecasts to take into account amended Treasury plans, a highly unusual move. The chancellor signalled on Sunday that he was preparing to offer relief to families and businesses faced with soaring prices, declaring: “Where we can make a difference, of course we will.” There was speculation that help may come in the form of cuts in fuel duties, after he said he did not want prices at the pump to be “prohibitively expensive”. 2 / [Bulk of Russian forces more than 25 km from centre of Kyiv, UK says]( Military intelligence says troops advancing towards Ukraine’s capital from northeast have stalled 3 / Boris Johnson sparks fury by comparing Ukraine war to Brexit]( ‘He is no Churchill. He is Basil Fawlty’: European statesmen and UK politicians appalled by PM’s analogy 4 / [Woman charged with murder after body ‘of missing man’ found buried in Northampton back garden]( Fiona Beal, 48, was arrested at a hotel in Cumbria 5 / Antarctica records temperatures 40C hotter than normal]( ‘It’s pretty stunning’ The Big Question Why has the UK banned RT? UK media regulator Ofcom has moved to revoke the broadcasting licence of Russian state-funded TV station RT UK in light of the war in Ukraine. Ofcom said it did not consider RT (formerly Russia Today) able to comply with impartiality laws in Britain given the current circumstances and its close ties to the Kremlin, declaring it was no longer “fit and proper” for it to hold a licence because the regulator “cannot be satisfied that it can be a responsible broadcaster”. The channel swiftly hit back, accusing Ofcom itself of being a “tool of government” and “robbing the UK public of access to information”, but, in truth, its time on the UK’s airwaves has been dogged by controversy from the very beginning. [Read the full story >]( Watch/ [The public should not be ‘scared’ about rising energy prices in autumn, says Rishi Sunak]( NUMBER OF THE DAY 1 in 20 – The proportion of people in England who had Covid-19 in the last week as cases rose nationwide in the wake of social restrictions being abandoned. QUOTE OF THE DAY “Ukraine’s food supply chain is falling apart. Movements of goods have slowed down due to insecurity and the reluctance of drivers” – Jakob Kern, the UN World Food Programme’s Emergency Coordinator for the Ukraine crisis, warns of dwindling access to sustenance in the conflict zone. [Refugees Welcome]( Other stories you might like [Man arrested over murder of woman, 19, in student halls]( [Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch says British Empire achieved ‘good things’ throughout rule]( [Trump promises 2024 return to White House at Florida rally]( Articles available exclusively to subscribers Borzou Daragahi, The Independent: [Aids activists fought for Ukrainian patients – now they fight for Ukraine]( If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.