Britain out of recession – 8 in the morning, January 26th

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

* Gordon Brown flew to Northern Ireland last night to ry to resolve a dispute between republicans and unionists which could threaten power sharing.

* The PM has told aides of his “astonishment” at the Tories’ talks with unionists at an English estate, which breaks years of bipartisan approach.

* Britain is expected to be announced as out of recession today, with the economy growing 0.4% in the quarter up to December.

* 48% of business leaders see signs of optimism in their sectors, a new poll finds — up 12% in a month.

* Vince Cable says the economy must diversify and become less reliant on finance.

* The recession exposed our “over-reliance on debt-fuelled consumption and on the strength of the City” says Larry Elliot as he looks for lessons from the downturn.

* The recovery is too fragile for either party to make political gains, writes Steve Richards.

* A decision on electoral reform is a test of character and intent for the Labour Party, says Polly Toynbee.