interest rates have been held at 5.25% for the seventh time in a row by the bank of england, despite the rate of inflation hitting the bank s target level of 2% for the time in three years. of 2% for the first time in three years. economists have predicted that interest rates, which are currently at a 16 year high, won t be cut until august. with more, here s our chief economics correspondent, dharshini david. ok, so it s four bedrooms. first time buyerjames has his eye on his dream home in coventry. but getting the keys to the door has been more challenging than expected as higher mortgage rates have made the first rung of the housing ladder harder to grasp. we definitely had to make some cutbacks as a couple and look at our financial plan to see if we could afford the mortgage. with the rates being high, we ve had to save for effectively another year to come into line with that. it s also understanding, yeah, the term of the mortgage, you know, from looking at it, it s now
continuing coverage and analysis from our team of correspondents in the uk and around the world. good evening. a police officer working as part of the prime minister s close protection team has been suspended and later arrested over alleged bets about the timing of the general election. and, as we come on air tonight, we can reveal that a second conservative candidate is being looked into by the gambling commission the industry regulator over a bet relating to when the general election would be. it isn t known when the bet was placed orfor how much money. our political editor chris mason broke the stories and has this report. the prime minister in suffolk this morning visiting a nuclear power plant, and wherever he goes he has close protection officers out of view, nearby. iwas close protection officers out of view, nearby. i was tipped off tonight that one of them had put bets on the timing of the general election. the metropolitan police acknowledged i was right, they
it s the first royal engagement she has carried out this year. the king who is also receiving cancer treatment travelled with the queen in a carriage, instead of riding on horseback as he has done in the past. charlotte gallagher reports. a much anticipated moment the princess of wales back in the public eye, all eyes on her for her first appearance since she announced her cancer diagnosis. she was a huge draw for the crowds in central london today. this is a day full of tradition and spectacle, but it s also about family. the king and queen in their carriage. it s his first trooping the colour since his own cancer diagnosis and he chose not to travel on horseback. national anthem plays the troops taking part in this annual celebration of the king s official birthday have been rehearsing for months. every step, drumbeat and musical note has to be perfect. the irish guards led the event this year and their colour, or regimentalflag, was on full display. their royal colon