Afternoon.

It’s Friday 23rd October: a personalised cancer vaccine has delivered promising results, the government wants us to prepare for emergencies and British shoppers are tightening their belts.

Kettle on.

📅 On this day: In 1642, the Battle of Edgehill took place in Warwickshire, the first major pitched battle of the English Civil War. Neither the Royalists nor Parliamentarians secured a decisive victory, and the conflict continued for another four years.

A personalised cancer vaccine has delivered promising results in a large clinical trial, reducing the risk of skin cancer returning or causing death by 42% when added to existing treatment.

The trial involved 1,137 patients with melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, who had already undergone surgery. After two years, 82% of those given the vaccine alongside standard treatment were alive without their cancer returning, compared with 70% receiving standard treatment alone.

The clever bit is that each vaccine is made specifically for the patient. Scientists analyse genetic changes in their tumour, then use mRNA technology, also used in Covid vaccines, to teach the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells. Unlike a traditional vaccine, which aims to prevent disease, this one is designed to stop cancer coming back.

It's a significant step forward, although the treatment isn't routinely available yet. Researchers still need longer-term results, particularly to establish whether it helps patients live longer, and regulators must approve it. Similar personalised vaccines are also being investigated for other cancers.

The government has launched a three-year campaign encouraging households to keep enough essential supplies at home to manage for three days if everyday services are disrupted.

Called Be Ready, the campaign focuses on emergencies such as flooding, severe storms and power cuts. The advice includes keeping bottled water, non-perishable food, a torch, spare batteries and essential medicines available. The government's full checklist recommends three litres of drinking water per person per day.

Households are also being encouraged to check whether they're eligible for the Priority Services Register. It's a free scheme that helps utility companies identify customers who may need extra support during an outage, including people with certain health conditions or disabilities.

Much of the advice has actually been available since 2024, but the government is now promoting it more widely. There's no specific emergency being predicted, and ministers say people should build up supplies gradually rather than rushing out to buy everything at once.

Retail sales in Great Britain fell by 0.4% in September, according to new official figures, as unusually warm weather discouraged spending on autumn and winter clothing.

Economists had expected a smaller decline of 0.1%. Meanwhile, a separate consumer confidence survey found that Britons have become considerably more pessimistic about their finances and the wider economy.

The GfK confidence index fell 11 points in October to -24, its sharpest monthly fall since the 2016 Brexit vote, excluding the pandemic. Consumer confidence measures how optimistic people feel about their finances and the wider economy. When confidence falls, households are often more reluctant to make expensive purchases.

There is some better news. Retail sales were still up 0.7% over the three months to September, so spending hasn't collapsed. But the figures add to the challenges facing Chancellor John Healey ahead of Wednesday's Budget, particularly after this week's rise in inflation.

The government has announced plans that it estimates will save British businesses almost £800 million a year by simplifying paperwork and extending suspensions on import tariffs.

The measures include reducing duplicated reporting requirements, making guidance easier for smaller firms and extending tariff suspensions on more than 250 products. The savings are forecasts rather than money already saved. Ministers hope the changes will ease pressure on businesses ahead of next week's Budget.

The Ministry of Defence is seeking a settlement in a legal dispute involving former military personnel who say they were forced out of the armed forces because of their sexuality.

Until 2000, homosexuality was banned in Britain's armed forces. Two veterans are challenging compensation rules that exclude them from a £50,000 payment because their departures were officially recorded as resignations. The government is discussing a possible resolution, but hasn't committed to changing the rules.

British singer Raye has won the Mercury Prize for her second album, This Music May Contain Hope, beating competition from Paul McCartney, Olivia Dean and Florence + The Machine.

The award recognises the best British or Irish album of the year, and it's another remarkable achievement for an artist who left her record label in 2021 after publicly complaining that she wasn't being allowed to release an album.

She subsequently went independent, won a record six BRIT Awards in one night and has now added the Mercury Prize to her collection.

Turns out she didn’t need the label’s permission after all.

Enjoy your weekend.

See you Monday.

We're independent, completely free and rely on readers spreading the word to grow. So if you have a friend who'd enjoy five minutes of news without all the noise, forward this email their way. It genuinely helps.

And if you're that friend, hello. You can subscribe here.