Wednesday evening UK news briefing: How the Budget impacts you

Evening briefing: Today's essential headlines

• Insulate Britain | Drivers take revenge with dye and bagpipes

• 'I'm gay' | First current professional footballer comes out

• Metropolitan Police | Serving officer, 28, charged with rape

• Covid | Scottish MP visited bar during 'self-isolation', court told

• 'Catman' | Murder trial halted as defendant meows at judge

Sunak's £150bn spending spree - and vow to cut taxes

For the past 20 months, he has been the Covid crisis chancellor. Today, Rishi Sunak sought to capitalise on a "new age of optimism".

Declaring that a far brighter than expected economic outlook provided him with extra fiscal firepower, he unveiled extra NHS spending, a boost to Whitehall department budgets, pay rises for millions of workers - and a cut to alcohol duties.

But, as Economics Editor Russell Lynch explains, Mr Sunak put Britain on course for its biggest tax burden since the 1950s in a heavy spending Budget that delivered £150billion of extra commitments and stoked speculation of an early General Election.

As the biggest tax raids since the aftermath of Black Wednesday were launched and after another hefty increase in the size of the state, Mr Sunak vowed to cut taxes by the end of this Parliament.

View our at-a-glance guide to everything he announced in his autumn Budget.

Who are the winners and losers? Richard Evans has gone through the details with a fine tooth comb to establish which of the Chancellor's measures will make you richer - and which will make you poorer.

Enter your salary into our tax calculator to work out your new take-home pay from April. And read the story behind the numbers on how the property market will be impacted.

In other eye-catching announcements today:

• 2 million are to gain £1,000 a year as the Universal Credit taper is cut;

• tax on domestic flights will be halved, but longer trips will cost more;

• and British ships that fly the Union Jack will be offered tax breaks.

(Some) MPs mask-up

Sir Keir Starmer was missing from the Commons today because he is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19 - leaving Labour's former leader Ed Miliband to take his place at Prime Minister's Questions at lunchtime. Members of the Government frontbench were split over the issue of face coverings. While the Prime Minister wore a mask alongside most other Cabinet members - there were two notable exceptions. New guidance released by Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, says masks are now mandatory for all Commons workers - apart from MPs.

Minister's agoraphobia

Another politician to miss the cameras today was Simon Clarke, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who announced that his agoraphobia prevented him from featuring in the traditional pre-Budget photograph with Mr Sunak. He wrote on Twitter that his condition "prevents me being comfortable in some open spaces" as he explained why he would be missing from the shot - and posted an alternative picture taken inside.

Comment and analysis: Budget special

• Tom Harris | Brownite Budget left Labour with few valid complaints

• Rosa Prince | How can you have a Budget without a trade-off?

• Ben Wright | No wonder the Tory backbenchers were subdued

• Matthew Lesh | Private sector have their hands tied behind their back

• Alex Deane | No quirkiness or excitement, day has lost its lustre

Around the world: Finger-pointing over cyber attack

Iran suggested an "unnamed foreign state" was behind a major cyber attack that closed down an IT system and paralysed petrol stations, raising suspicions that arch-foe Israel may have been responsible. As James Rothwell reports from Jerusalem, Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi believes enemies are seeking to sow "disorder and disruption".

Wednesday long-read: The dirty truth about the nation's rivers

As none of England's rivers pass the pollution test, Joe Shute explores how we can clean up our waterways. Read the feature.

Sport briefing: England's emphatic victory

England have beaten Bangladesh by eight wickets in their T20 Super 12 World Cup. Jason Roy's 61 off 38 balls made sure the side easily negotiated a potentially tricky chase of 125 as they continued their excellent start in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, several of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's former Manchester United team-mates have had their say on whether the manager should be backed - or sacked.

Editor's choice

1. 'Dirty Duchess' | The necklace at centre of a sex scandal that rocked the aristocracy

2. Hannie Caulder | Raquel Welch's bloody, controversial (and British) revenge Western

3. Beauty editor's tips | The secret to looking and feeling good at 50 like an A-list star

Business briefing: Challenge to Eurostar's monopoly

Aside from the Budget… Eurostar is facing a challenge to its monopoly running rail services under the English Channel as Spain's state-backed operator plots a challenge to its French-owned rival. Oliver Gill explains how Renfe is threatening its rival's dominance for the first time since the crossing was opened in 1994. And Alan Tovey has the story behind Tesla headlines - the $1 trillion company that does not make any money.

Tonight starts now

Marvel - or miss? | Tonight is the UK gala screening of Marvel Studios' Eternals, which is released in cinemas next Friday. But read our Film Critic Robbie Collin's review before you book tickets. He says it attempts to push boundaries, but the result is "insipid" and describes the film as "an instant white elephant". But do not despair. From Shang-Chi to Dune, our critics have picked this autumn's cinematic must-sees.

Three things for you

• Watch | Universe with Prof Brian Cox, BBC Two, 9pm - and more

• Fantasy Fund Manager | Sign up for 10 chances to win £15k

• Puzzles | Play today's crossword, sudoku and other games

And finally... for this evening's downtime

The Commitments at 30 | Robert Arkins managed Roddy Doyle's fictional band on screen. He recalls the unusual shoot, including casting buskers who did not own a phone as he tells Tom Fordy about the chaotic creation of Ireland's strangest band.