Adam Butler

As the cost-of-living crisis continues in earnest, more and more people are struggling to afford essential items, and are looking for other ways to meet their payments and look after their families. With as many as 2.8 million declined credit over the past two years, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, it is likely that many of these have had no choice but to seek out loan sharks for the money they need to survive.

Following the discovery of 'risks' in a cyber-security audit, Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Dowden informed MPs that the ban, as well as a limited number of operational 'exemptions,' would go into place immediately. The restriction was imposed in response to complaints that user personal information could be accessed by Beijing's authority ByteDance, the company's owner, who has its headquarters in China. Despite Tory backbenchers' demands, he came close to compel ministers and civil servants from deleting the app from their personal computers. Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries urged other MPs to follow her example and report it voluntary. However, Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps will continue to use the app on his own phone.

The ban was in response to concerns that users' personal information could be accessed by Beijing's authorities from ByteDance, the firm's owner, who has its headquarters in China. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Oliver Dowden, announced that the popular video game would be outrightly banned. He described it as a "precautionary" but that it should come first, and he added, "The protection of sensitive government information must come first." Here's what you need to hear about the ban.