UK national debt hits £2tn for first time, as PMIs surge – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as the Covid-19 pandemic drives UK government debt to record highs

Online electricals vendor AO.com is doing its bit to combat Britain’s looming unemployment crisis.

AO, which yesterday reported a surge in orders during the pandemic, is planning to hire 650 staff to cope with the new demand. Some jobs are quite traditional – delivery drivers and gas engineers. Some, such as a TikTok specialist, are not.

Related: AO.com hires more staff on back of Covid home shopping surge

Will Crossrail ever arrive?

Europe’s largest railway infrastructure project – from Reading and Heathrow, across central London, to Abbey Wood and Shenfield – has been delayed again.

Crossrail, the mass-transit train line through London, has been further delayed until 2022 and gone another £450m over budget.

Transport for London said that the temporary pause in construction and ensuing slowdown because of Covid-19 distancing requirements had only partially contributed to the latest delays, which mean the Elizabeth line will open more than three years late and cost almost £4bn more than originally budgeted.

Related: Crossrail delayed again until 2022 and another £450m over budget

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