Employment Rights Act: Business braces for shorter strike notices, stronger unions February 18, 2026 The first batch of reforms, following the passage of the Employment Rights Act, came into effect on Wednesday, granting employees new trade union powers. As of Wednesday, measures under the legislation kicked in, including the repeal of most of the Trade Union Act 2016 and the introduction of protections against dismissal for taking industrial action. [...]
Full house: Gen-Z flocks to bingo halls in latest leisure trend February 18, 2026 Following in the wake of analogue trends including vinyl, polaroid cameras and Nokia phones, Gen Z Brits could be swarming into bingo halls as they take their retro obsession back to the 1950s. Buzz Bingo, which operates at 79 sites in the UK including five in London, claims interest from young people is driving its [...]
Reform UK: Robert Jenrick promises to ‘defuse benefits bomb’ February 18, 2026 Reform UK will restore the two-child benefits cap if it wins the next election, Robert Jenrick has confirmed in a speech in which he branded the Britain’s benefits system an “economic and moral disaster”. In his first formal remarks as the party’s Treasury spokesman, the former Tory shadow justice secretary confirmed Reform no longer supported [...]
Sky rivals Netflix with one TV subscription to rule them all February 18, 2026 Brits now spend more time with streaming services than with traditional broadcast TV. In the US, streaming has already surpassed linear viewing; in the UK, the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are absorbing a growing share of screen time and, in turn, consumer spend. Revenue from digital entertainment rose to an all-time high of [...]
New regulations for pedicabs to curb ‘rip-off’ fares February 18, 2026 Pedicabs will be barred from blasting bangers and charging “rip-off” fares under new rules which will mean rickshaws in the capital face regulations for the first time. Under new rules proposed by Transport for London (TfL), drivers will be required to have a full driving license, pass enhanced criminal checks, and meet English language requirements [...]
Russians at Paralympics opens door for LA28 Olympics return, expert warns February 18, 2026 Allowing Russian athletes to compete in the Paralympics under their national flag opens up the same opportunities at the next Olympic Games, according to geopolitical experts. Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be able to compete under their native flags at the upcoming Paralympic Games in Milan after the International Paralympic Committee lifted its [...]
Rolls-Royce shares hit new high as FTSE 100 rallies to record February 18, 2026 Rolls-Royce was among a whole host of City heavyweights storming higher on Wednesday helping the FTSE 100 seal another record. The aerospace giant jumped 2.2 per cent to 1,325.50p taking it to a new all-time high ahead of January’s previous peak of 1,305.00p. The move came as defence titan BAE System jumped near four per [...]
UK house prices see modest growth amid London slump February 18, 2026 UK house prices ticked up last year, but the London market continued to lag after property tax speculation and high mortgage rates constrained affordability. The average UK house price increased by 2.4 per cent annually in December 2025, slowing from 2.8 per cent growth in the year to November, according to the latest data from [...]
Starmer sticks to youth minimum wage pledge despite jobs fears February 18, 2026 The government will stick to the Labour party’s manifesto commitment to equalise the minimum wage despite speculation it would row back on the pledge over unemployment fears, the Prime Minister has said. Speaking on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer said: “We’ve made commitments to young people in our manifesto, and we will keep to those commitments, [...]
Third of young Brits brew business ideas at the pub February 18, 2026 A third of young Brits have come up with a business idea over a pint at their local boozer, new research has revealed. Brits are finding unlikely entrepreneurial inspiration in pubs as 18 per cent of all people in the UK have had a light-bulb business moment here, according to new polling by GoDaddy. This [...]