Streeting: Stockpile food for cyber war

The four challenges facing Healey in the Budget | Fred and Rose West survivor: ‘I joked he must be digging a swimming pool’

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Friday, 23 October 2026 Issue No. 607

Good morning. Wes Streeting has urged the public to prepare for food shortages caused by cyber attacks. As part of a “national resilience conversation”, the Government is asking Britons to maintain “be ready” kits. The warning was issued as websites across the world were shut down following the discovery of a vulnerability in PHP, a crucial piece of website architecture, that left them vulnerable to cyber attack. Danielle Sheridan, our Defence Editor, reports. Chris Evans, Editor P.S. It’s your last chance to secure 1 year of The Telegraph for just £19. But be quick: this limited-time offer must end soon. If you’re already a subscriber, make sure you’re logged in to read today’s stories.   In today’s edition The four challenges facing Healey in the Budget — Fred and Rose West survivor: ‘I joked he must be digging a swimming pool’ — Plus, ‘I tested eight autumn jackets to see which will pass muster in the muddy countryside’

Last chance: 1 year for £19 Unlock full access to The Telegraph, including all the articles in this newsletter, before our lowest annual offer expires. Claim your offer   Streeting: Stockpile food for cyber attacks Danielle Sheridan Defence Editor   It certainly wasn’t the announcement that journalists gathered yesterday in a gun hall in Telford were expecting. After Wes Streeting celebrated the opening of Rheinmetall’s new Shropshire facility for producing tank gun barrels, the first time they will have been built here in Britain for 20 years, he revealed something else the Government was planning to launch: a new “national resilience conversation”. The Defence Secretary told journalists that Britons needed to prepare for supply chain disruptions caused by natural disasters or cyber attacks by hostile states. The Government then published new guidance to the public, which includes “be ready” kits for emergencies, including three days’ worth of non-perishable food and bottled water, an FM radio and blankets. Streeting was speaking alongside General Sir Roly Walker, the Army chief, who last week said the British public needed a national conversation about the threats they faced in a more dangerous world. The advice comes amid increasing threats from hostile states, including Russia and Iran. If British citizens hadn’t been taking the threat seriously, hopefully with mounting warnings and now advice on how to best protect themselves, they will start to. This report is available only to subscribers. Continue reading ➤ Britain has only one ship to repair cables threatened by Russia ➤   Opinion Dominic Lawson Trump is a moral imbecile, but his respectable enablers are more shameful A lust for proximity to power has seen supposedly principled conservatives betray their country Continue reading ➤     Suzanne Moore The anti-Semitism that led to the Holocaust is all around us Continue reading ➤     Tom Harris Labour has an ugly tradition of flirting with Soviet communism Continue reading ➤     To make sure you don’t miss our newsletters when they land in your inbox, click here. In other news • Thomas Markle Snr, the Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father, is being investigated after his son reported him to police for being in possession of child abuse images, it has been reported. • The secretary-general of the Commonwealth has said that an apology for slavery “wouldn’t hurt”, before the King’s tour of the Bahamas, Guyana, and Antigua and Barbuda. • More than one in five white working-class boys will leave school at 16 without a job or training, new data show. That is more than double the rate of their black counterparts. • The Prince of Wales has made a surprise appearance on the BBC’s Graham Norton Show to promote his Earthshot Prize. The Prince joined Cate Blanchett, Hannah Waddingham and Robert Irwin to speak about the award, which connects all four guests. • Bournemouth 3-0 Milan | Bournemouth secured a dominant victory over a 10-man Milan after two first-half penalties and a magical free kick later on. A red card for Mike Maignan, Milan’s goalkeeper, left Ruben Amorim furious on his return to England. • England 429 – Sri Lanka 430-8 | Elsewhere, in cricket, Harry Brook hit a historic double hundred – but it ended up counting for nothing as England lost to Sri Lanka.   Your essential reads The four challenges facing Healey in the Budget Labour promised hope, but John Healey faces an unforgiving fiscal trap. National debt has breached a record £3tn, borrowing costs are rocketing and rebellious backbenchers stand ready to block spending cuts. Hemmed in by pledges on major taxes, he must appease volatile bond markets without derailing fragile growth. Tim Wallace, our Deputy Economics Editor, examines the four critical hurdles awaiting the Chancellor at the Dispatch Box. For subscribers only ➤ Healey to raise taxes on retiring entrepreneurs ➤   Ex-Ofsted chief Sir David Bell: ‘I’m shocked by the threat to Jewish pupils’ The former lead inspector of schools tells Claire Allfree that some students he interviewed for an inquiry into anti-Semitism were so traumatised by the verbal abuse they had received in the classroom, they were unable to repeat the slurs. “Can you imagine what that must feel like?” he asks. Continue reading ➤   Families walk out on ‘Britain’s most depressing pumpkin patch’ A pumpkin patch promised families a place to make “memories that last a lifetime”, but visitors were met with a field of smashed pumpkins at an attraction dubbed “Britain’s most depressing pumpkin patch” near Bury St Edmunds. Thankfully, most of you are seeing the funny side of it in the comments section. Continue reading ➤   Fred and Rose West survivor: ‘I joked he must be digging a swimming pool’ Kathleen Richards lived with Fred and Rose West in the late 1970s. She was lucky to leave that house alive, as she tells Julia Llewellyn Smith, having endured multiple assaults. On one occasion, she considered going to the police, but stopped at the last minute “because they were not going to believe me”, she says. “I was 17, and everyone thought the Wests were a wonderful couple.” Continue reading ➤   Seize the day ‘I tested eight autumn jackets to see which will pass muster in the muddy countryside’ I was tired of choosing between chic London tailoring and the scruffy, weatherproof abominations I wear in rural Dorset, writes Rosalyn Wikeley. In an effort to avoid hypothermia, endless mud and looking like a country hick, I put eight autumn coats through their paces in blustery woods, unkempt gardens and fields to see which could bridge the town-and-country gap. They might come in handy this weekend as the storms batter Britain. Continue reading ➤   As Serena sees it Beatle-mania Serena Davies Head of Culture   This was the week that the Beatles became bigger than Shakespeare. It was announced that Liverpool will open what is basically a giant theme park devoted to the band in 2028. That year is also when Sam Mendes’s four films devoted to the Fab Four will be released. There’s also a musical of the film Yesterday, which imagines a world where – heaven forbid – the Beatles had never existed, in the works. I am glad that this great band, nigh-on six decades after they broke up, are inspiring their own creative industry, but personally I prefer to appreciate the Beatles by listening to their music as I go about my daily life. Who hasn’t felt the joy rise in their heart when looking out on a bright morning to the sound of Here Comes the Sun? Who hasn’t been genuinely comforted by the sentiments of Let It Be, set to its perfect tune, when facing down life’s everyday tribulations? Plus, if you’re lagging behind on Celebrity Traitors, or you just want another point of view on last night’s episode, Michael Hogan has everything you need to know. Catch up with Michael ➤ For two things to watch, and one to avoid, read on... Television Slow Horses, final episode ★★★★★ The sixth series of Apple’s majestic adaptation of Mick Herron’s spy novels came to a thundering close this week. No spoilers here, just a note to From the Editor readers that if you’ve not even begun this clever, funny, exciting set of programmes, please do so now, and note – Gary Oldman might just be the finest actor on television (or anywhere). Read the full review ➤ Television Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive ★★★★☆ Some precious off-cuts of the classic comedy have come to light, but the joy of this show is simply in recalling quite how wonderful the original series was, and seeing the faces of stars such as David Jason light up as they are shown the neglected footage. If only comedy was still this great… Read the full review ➤ Film Ali G: Who Iz I? ★★☆☆☆ I have to admit I have a real fondness for Ali G, controversy and all, so it’s disappointing, if not entirely surprising, that this film in which creator Sacha Baron Cohen resurrects the character is a dud. The days when actual famous people took this ludicrous figure at face value are sadly long gone, as this film demonstrates as it stages encounters with a set of nobodies instead. Read the full review ➤   Your say Money, money, money Every weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal Reader Correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes... It’s no secret that physical cash has had a hard time in recent years. Card machines reign. Banknotes are set to lose their lingering gravitas, with portraits of historical figures replaced by the cast of Naturewatch. It’s not all bad news, though. In Wednesday’s edition of Your Money, Sam Brodbeck asked for readers’ thoughts on this beleaguered currency. “How much”, he wanted to know, “do you keep under your mattress for emergencies?” It turns out that many of you still swear by old-school cash. Thanks for all your responses.   “I use it as much as possible,” wrote Linda Burgess. “It’s important we ensure that it is always readily available, in case the banks are hacked or rogue AI takes over. With no trade or wages, Britain really would be broken.”   Nina Parkinson added: “I carry cash so I can give tips to hairdressers and taxi drivers, and in cafés and restaurants. I was also one of the few shoppers with cash when Asda had a problem with its electronics and could not accept cards. Lots of shoppers had to leave their trolleys and go to the nearest ATM.”   Mr Smith revealed: “I always have £500 to £1,000 in cash, and top up as required. I only use my credit cards for large purchases such as family holidays, flights and furniture.”   George Rusk, meanwhile, raised another practical point: “How do you give grandchildren extra money, or money for birthdays, if cash is not around? It is also needed to donate to charity buckets.” Cash or card? Send your responses here, for potential inclusion in tomorrow’s newsletter. Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. Sign up to Your Money for weekly analysis from our experts ➤   On this day 1923 | A US patent is issued to inventor Sebastian Hinton for a playground climbing structure known as monkey bars 1941 | Walt Disney’s Dumbo is released 1989 | Hungary proclaims itself a republic and declares an end to communist rule (see our front page the following day below for our coverage) 2001 | Apple unveils the iPod Birthdays: Emilia Clarke (40), Ryan Reynolds (50), Cat Deeley (50) Plus, in the news this week, a career criminal who stole a “historically unique” 350-year-old map from a museum has been jailed. For how long? Melvin West, 70, cut the map free, then slipped it into his pocket 1. 6 months 2. 3 years 3. 6 years 4. 10 years Click one of the options to reveal the answer...   Puzzles Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including The 1% Club, Cogs, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.   Yesterday’s Panagram was PLENTIFUL. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle.   Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor Please let me know what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback at fromtheeditor@telegraph.co.uk. Last chance: 1 year for £19 Unlock full access to The Telegraph, including all the articles in this newsletter, before our lowest annual offer expires. Claim your offer

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