Friday briefing: How Britain’s high streets became a barometer of national decline

In today’s newsletter: As boarded‑up units spread from coastal towns to former industrial centres, a new ​Guardian investigation reveals how ​o​ur high streets have become a litmus test for public frustration and ​p​olitical choicesGood morning. There is a familiar refrain about Britain’s high streets – that they are now little more than a procession of shuttered units, former bank branches, barbers, vape shops and fast food outlets, symbols of a country that feels as though it is quietly running down.This week, a Guardian investigation set out to explain why the decline of the high street has accelerated, why it is now so visible, and why it has become a proxy for whether people feel their area – and their lives – are moving forwards or backwards.China | Keir Starmer has taken a big step towards rapprochement with China, opening the door to a UK visit from Xi Jinping in a move that drew immediate anger from British critics of Beijing.Iran | The creators of a messaging app accused of handing user data to the Iranian regime live on a windswept hill in a British coastal town, the Guardian can reveal.Reform UK | A Reform UK council chair has resigned after it was found he was illegally running two unsafe rental properties, according to a neighbouring local authority.Banking | The boss of Lloyds Banking Group has warned that bankers will need to “re-skill themselves” to survive the oncoming AI boom that stands to transform the financial services sector.US politics | Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic US senator, announced she will run for governor of Minnesota, after the incumbent governor, Tim Walz, dropped out of the race in early January. Continue reading...