内容摘要："You're pricking pomposity and you're exposing hypocrisy. That's the point of satire."

"You're pricking pomposity and you're exposing hypocrisy. That's the point of satire."

Prices in the UK rose by 2.6% in the 12 months to March, less than in the previous month but still above the Bank of England's target.The Bank of England moves interest rates up and down to try to keep inflation at 2%, and has cut rates twice in 2025, taking rates to 4.25%.

The Bank previously warned that it expected inflation to rise again in 2025.Inflation is the increase in the price of something over time.For example, if a bottle of milk costs £1 but is £1.05 a year later, then annual milk inflation is 5%.

The prices of hundreds of everyday items, including food and fuel, are tracked by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).This virtual "basket of goods" is regularly updated to reflect shopping trends, with

, and local newspaper adverts removed.

The ONS monitors price changes over the previous 12 months to calculate inflation.Some firms had warned that the changes to tax and the minimum wage that came into effect in April could affect recruitment.

had painted a gloomy picture of the labour market, suggesting that the number of employers expecting to hire more staff in the next three months had fallen to a record low, excluding the pandemic."The further softening in employment in April suggests businesses continued to respond to the rise in business taxes and the minimum wage by reducing headcount," said Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics.

While wage growth had slowed, she added, it still remained relatively strong, meaning the Bank of England will remain cautious over future interest rate cuts., and indicated more cuts could follow, although governor Andrew Bailey said it would be moving "gradually and carefully".