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UK Edition
10th December 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Rayner rallies MPs on employment rights

Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has defended her workers' rights legislation in the House of Commons. Rayner told MPs that "now is not the time to blink or buckle" as she pushed for Labour's flagship Employment Rights Bill to finish its passage through Parliament. She was speaking in the Commons for the first time since the government abandoned its pledge in the bill to give workers protection against unfair dismissal "from day one" of a job, instead setting the bar at six months. The legislation was announced by Rayner within 100 days of Labour coming to power, and she told the Commons she was "frustrated" by recent delays and compromises, saying the legislation was "pro-business and pro-worker."
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HIRING

UK employers less likely to disclose salary amid softer hiring market

UK employers have become less likely to advertise salaries or offer non-pay benefits as a slump in hiring persists, according to data published by the jobs site Indeed. The share of postings mentioning at least one benefit dropped 2.1 percentage points to 64.6%, while salary transparency had fallen to its lowest levels since 2021. Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, said employers had adapted to the subdued hiring market “by trimming benefits and becoming more selective about when and how they advertised pay.”
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WORKFORCE

Badenoch questions minimum wage hike

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has expressed concerns about the sustainability of the current minimum wage. In an interview with the BBC, she warned that many businesses struggle to afford the wage increases, leading to job losses. Calling for a review of the minimum wage, the Tory leader said: "We need to listen to what businesses are saying. It's not government ministers that create jobs, it's business that creates jobs." The minimum wage will rise 4.1% to £12.71 an hour for workers aged over 21 from April. For 18 to 20-year-olds, it will increase by 8.5% to £10.85 per hour.

Autistic shelf stacker gets Waitrose job back

Tom Boyd, a 28-year-old autistic worker, has accepted a paid job at Waitrose weeks after being told to stop his unpaid shelf-stacking shifts. Boyd had volunteered for 600 hours before his mother requested he be paid, prompting the store to initially end his placement. After public outcry and an offer from Asda, Waitrose reversed its decision and offered paid employment starting in January. His family say he is "very excited" to begin work.
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LEGAL

Government vows to combat spurious lawsuits

Justice Secretary David Lammy has committed to addressing spurious lawsuits aimed at silencing whistleblowers and journalists, otherwise known as Slapps - strategic lawsuits against public participation. At the launch of the government's anti-corruption strategy, Lammy outlined plans to enact provisions from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 to combat these lawsuits. He said: "We'll protect the people who shine a light on corruption." However, the strategy's target date for new legislation is set for 2029, raising concerns about the urgency of the issue. Campaigners are seeking more immediate action.
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TECHNOLOGY

Parliamentarians push for AI regulation

Over 100 MPs have urged the government to implement binding regulations on advanced AI systems. The cross-party initiative highlights concerns that AI could threaten national security. The campaign, co-ordinated by Control AI, calls for the UK to assert independence from US lobbying against regulation. Former Defence Secretary Des Browne said super-intelligent AI "would be the most perilous technological development since we gained the ability to wage nuclear war," arguing that only international co-operation "can prevent a reckless race for advantage that could imperil us all." Conservative peer Zac Goldsmith voiced concerns that "governments are miles behind the AI companies and are leaving them to pursue its development with virtually no regulation." A spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: "AI is already regulated in the UK, with a range of existing rules already in place."
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INTERNATIONAL

Australia's world first social media ban takes effect

Australia has become the first country to implement a minimum age for social media use. Platforms including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will have to block more than a million accounts. Other governments around the world - and some US states - say they plan similar steps. "[The ban] could become a proof of concept that gains traction around the world," observed Nate Fast, a professor at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. Big Tech is unhappy with the legislation. "Australia is engaged in blanket censorship that will make its youth less informed, less connected, and less equipped to navigate the spaces they will be expected to understand as adults," said Paul Taske from NetChoice, a trade group representing several big tech companies.

Louvre Museum workers confirm strike action

Workers at the Louvre Museum in Paris have voted to strike, citing deteriorating working conditions, a controversial ticket price increase for non-European visitors, and significant security vulnerabilities. In a letter addressed to France's culture minister, Rachida Dati, the CGT, CFDT and Sud labour unions described the museum as being in "crisis" and plagued by insufficient resources. Industrial action will commence next Monday.  

Internet platforms warned not to shift tax burden onto China's gig workers

China’s State Taxation Administration has told internet platforms to avoid passing tax obligations onto gig workers, as it increases regulation and further seeks to crackdown on tax-dodging internet influencers. “Platforms should not disguise additional fees during tax withholding and remittance processes, nor should they use such processes to shift tax obligations and increase gig workers’ burdens,” officials from the tax authority said. As oversight increases, the administration said gig workers, including food-delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers, would be exempt from tax reporting requirements, which are typically handled by platforms.
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OTHER

Top 10% earn more than the remaining 90%

The World Inequality Report 2026 reveals alarming wealth concentration, with fewer than 60,000 individuals - 0.001% of the world's population - controlling three times the wealth of the bottom half of the global population. The analysis highlights that the top 10% earn more than the remaining 90%, while the poorest half claim less than 10% of global earnings. The report stresses the need for urgent action, observing: "Reducing inequality is essential for the resilience of economies." The report also notes that a 3% global tax on the wealthiest could generate $750bn per year.
 
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