UK

The FTSE 100  rose 1.1% to 10,670 during morning trading on 18 February 2026. The index surpassed 10,650 for the first time in its history. UK consumer price inflation measured 3.0% annually in January 2026. December 2025 inflation was 3.4%. The Office for National Statistics attributed lower inflation to reduced bread and petrol prices. The Bank of England is expected by many economists to cut interest rates in March 2026. Economists anticipate rates could fall to 3.5% in Ma

Enfield recorded the highest benefits spending per working-age person in 2024/25 (£3,868). Enfield was the smallest borough where total benefits spending exceeded £1 billion. Other high-ranking areas by per-head spending: Blackpool (£3,678) Hackney (£3,669) Blaenau Gwent (£3,462) Haringey (£3,419) Birmingham had the highest total benefits bill but ranked 14th per head. The analysis was conducted by Neil O'Brien. The study examined: Universal Credit Disability Living Allowance

Es sex Police are reviewing claims that Jeffrey Epstein’s victims were flown into the UK via Stansted Airport on his private jet, the “Lolita Express.” Around 90 flights reportedly landed at Stansted, with 15 occurring after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for child sex offences. Police are examining flight logs and emails to identify passengers and verify links to alleged victims. Prince Andrew, a former friend of Epstein, could face pressure if his name appears in flight records.

Restore Britain was founded by Rupert Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth. Lowe recently formally launched the party, proposing policies including: Banning the burqa Mass deportations Lowe described the defections as a “very important day” for the party and said more defections are expected. The defecting councillors will now form an official group on the local authority, which is currently run by Reform UK. Lowe was elected in 2024 but was later expelled from Reform UK following

newly formed Shadow Cabinet, describing it as the party entering a “new phase.” Robert Jenrick  has been appointed Shadow Chancellor after recently defecting from the Conservatives. Suella Braverman  will oversee education and equalities in the shadow team. Deputy leader Richard Tice  has been handed a broad “super ministry” brief covering business, trade and energy. Policy chief Zia Yusuf  has been named Shadow Home Secretary. Farage rejected claims that Reform UK revolves s

UK unemployment rate rose to 5.2%  in the three months to December, up from 5.1%  in November — the highest level in the post-Covid period. Number of UK payrolled employees fell by 121,000 (0.4%)  over the past year. Provisional January data shows a further 11,000  fall in payrolled employees. Payroll employment is 134,000 lower  than a year earlier. Regular pay growth slowed to 4.2%  in the three months to December. Real pay growth (after CPI inflation) was 0.8% . Private se

Ministry of Justice figures indicate at least 520 IPP prisoners  will still be incarcerated in March 2030, never having been released. The projections challenge claims that the government’s IPP “action plan” will enable meaningful progress toward safe release. Former lord chief justice John Thomas  described the plan as a “failure” that prolongs injustice nearly two decades after the sentence was abolished. IPP sentences, abolished in 2012 but not applied retrospectively, hav

Here’s a summary of this week’s major UK political events  that have happened and ones coming up 📌 Summary of This Week’s UK Political Events Government U-Turn on Council Elections The UK government under Keir Starmer  dropped its plan to delay local council elections slated for May 2026  following legal advice  that postponing them could be unlawful and after a legal challenge by Nigel Farage  and Reform UK . The reversal is being framed by opponents as a victory for democr

Nearly 15,000 public sector workers received paid leave for union activities last year. More than 1,000 spent almost all their working time on union causes. Around £90 million of taxpayer money funded facility time last year. Facility time was funded across councils, schools, Whitehall departments and the NHS. There were more than 20,000 union representatives embedded in public bodies. 14,976 (74%) of union representatives received paid leave. Around 3,000 of those were NHS w

London markets were mixed on Monday ask Keirs anouncements bolstered it but US markets were closed for a bank holiday. Canadian markets were closed for Family Day. FTSE 100: Rose 27.34 points. Up 0.3%. Closed at 10,473.69. FTSE 250: Fell 51.80 points. Down 0.2%. Closed at 23,375.47. AIM All-Share: Fell 0.44 points. Down 0.1%. Closed at 811.41. CAC 40 rose 0.2%. DAX 40 fell 0.5%. NatWest: Top FTSE 100 performer. Up 4.8%. Launched £750m share buyback. Programme to complete by J