Network Rail was ahead of its foreign peers in the cost of maintaining tracks and stations, said the Office of Rail Regulation. Photograph: Frank Baron for the Guardian Britain’s railway system is often derided as the poor man of European transport, but its repeated problems with rising costs landed it with the title of the [...]

A human embryo clone used in stem cell research at Newcastle. The UK is a world leader in this field. Photograph: Nicola Mcintosh/Life Science Centre Scientists lined up today to criticise the coalition government’s proposals to cut public funds for research, calling the ideas “sad” and “depressing”. In his first major speech on science and [...]

Newly announced trade minister Stephen Green discusses his role with prime minister David Cameron in No 10 Downing Street. Photograph: Sang Tan/PA David Cameron’s four-month search for a trade minister to promote UK industry abroad ended today when he confirmed that Stephen Green, the chairman of HSBC, will take up the post. The appointment of [...]

A London Underground tube sign. Photograph: Paul Owen for the Guardian Millions of London Underground passengers began their scramble for space on London’s buses, boats and pavements this morning as a series of 24-hour strikes by tube workers disrupted the capital’s transport system. Today, there were suspensions and delays on all the tube lines apart [...]

George Osborne insists the new system will still leave day-to-day financial supervision within the UK in the hands of national authorities. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA George Osborne will today endorse sweeping European supervisory powers over banks and financial institutions in response to the economic crisis. EU finance ministers meeting in Brussels are set to approve three [...]