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UK Edition
13th February 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

UK leads the world in concern about migration

People in the UK are far more concerned about immigration than people in other countries with similar levels of migrants, according to a Gallup poll. According to Gallup's inaugural World’s Most Important Problem report, just over one in five Britons (21%) named immigration as their No. 1 concern, statistically tied with mentions of the economy (23%). In only six other countries, including the Netherlands (13%), Portugal (12%) and Ireland (11%) do at least one in 10 adults name immigration as the most important national problem. Nevertheless, the poll found that despite high levels of national concern, most Britons said immigration is a good thing - a sentiment that grew over time between 2016 and 2023.
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WORKFORCE

MPs oppose migrant wait extension

MPs have expressed strong opposition to proposed changes that would double the wait for migrants to gain permanent residency in the UK from five to ten years. Migrants will be able to shorten this period if they are a high earner, while those who arrived on health and social care visas would face a 15-year wait. Those who relied on benefits for more than 12 months would have to wait 20 years. While the changes would not apply to those who have already obtained settlement, they would apply to people already living in the UK. A letter to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signed by 35 Labour MPs - as well as 17 from other parties, 21 peers and 33 civil society organisations - argues that the retrospective application of these rules is "unfair" to those already settled in the UK. 

NHS staff to receive 3.3% pay rise

NHS staff in England and Wales will receive a 3.3% pay rise for the next financial year, covering approximately 1.5m health workers, excluding doctors and senior managers. The increase exceeds the initial proposal from the Department of Health and Social Care. However, unions expressed disappointment, noting that the rise falls short of the current rate of consumer price index inflation, which sits at 3.4%. Prof Nicola Ranger of the Royal College of Nursing said: "A pay award below the current level of inflation is an insult."
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HIRING

PwC UK applications jump 35% in graduate jobs drought

Amid surging job application numbers, Phillippa O’Connor, chief people officer at PwC UK, says the firm has decided not to automate some junior work so incoming staff can develop judgment.
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TECHNOLOGY

Wealth managers hit by AI fears

Investor concerns over AI are impacting British wealth managers, with St James' Place, AJ Bell, Quilter, and Rathbones all seeing their share price hit following the launch of a new AI tool by Altruist which helps financial advisers personalise clients’ investment strategies. Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, said: "The worry is that this is just the tip of the iceberg and fresh efficiencies will be unleashed by AI to disrupt the financial advice and investment industry and reduce the fees which can be charged." She added: "As the AI cards are shuffled, the pile of potential losers is mounting up, and speculation about which sector will be hit next is rife."
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ECONOMY

Economy expands by 0.1% as business investment falls

The UK economy expanded by only 0.1% in Q4 2025, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This growth matched the previous quarter but fell short of the expected 0.2%. Business investment dropped by 2.7%, while consumer spending increased by a mere 0.2%. Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, noted that private sector activity remains subdued. Suren Thiru from the Institute of Chartered Accountants said: "These figures confirm that the UK economy ended 2025 with a whimper." Economists anticipate a slight recovery, predicting 0.4% growth in Q1 2026.
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REGULATION

UK regulator to bring in BNPL affordability checks

New UK regulations for buy now, pay later (BNPL) will see consumers face affordability checks. The new rules will come into force from July 15 and follow the government's decision to bring the sector under the auspices of the Financial Conduct Authority, a move that will mean lenders will need to be authorised by the regulator to provide BNPL products. The new rules will also allow consumers to complain to the Financial Ombudsman if issues arise, and service providers such as Klarna, Clearpay and Afterpay will be subject to the Consumer Duty. Sarah Pritchard, deputy chief executive at the FCA, said the regulator wants the BNPL sector to "thrive" but is "putting in place proportionate protections for the 11m people who use it." 
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RISK

Trump is a global ‘wrecking ball,’ European security experts say

There has been a surge in the number of people in the west and emerging markets who view the US as a threat, according to polling for the Munich Security Conference. Europe’s main defence-related forum said in a report that US President Trump is helping destroy the postwar international order. The world has entered an era of “wrecking ball politics,” a team of conference staff wrote in their 2026 Munich Security Report. This year’s conference opens today, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading a large US delegation, a year after Vice President JD Vance stunned the conference with a verbal assault on many of America’s closest allies in Europe.
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INTERNATIONAL

Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population

Switzerland is to hold a referendum in June on whether to cap its population at 10 million until 2050 by limiting immigration. The referendum has been triggered automatically because more than 100,000 citizens have signed a petition in support of a vote. Opponents of the move say it could threaten crucial agreements with the European Union and make it harder to attract foreign workers to fill labour shortages. The petition was promoted by the Swiss People’s Party, a right-wing party that holds roughly a third of seats in the Swiss Parliament.

BASF shifts services hub to India

BASF has said it plans to relocate several service functions to a new global hub in India, citing cost efficiency and a goal to make its Global Business Services more competitive. The move will affect jobs at its Berlin site, though BASF said planning is at an early stage and the shift would occur gradually by the end of 2028. The chemicals union IGBCE criticised the decision, with chair Michael Vassiliadis calling it “a blow to employment policy.” BASF’s services unit has about 8,500 staff, including 2,800 in Berlin, as the company continues broader cost-cutting amid weak demand.

Trump heckler was not disciplined and kept his job, UAW says

The Ford Motor worker who heckled President Donald Trump during his visit last month to a Michigan auto plant was not disciplined and kept his job, the United Auto Workers union has said. Thomas “TJ” Sabula shouted at Trump that he was a "paedophile protector" as the president was touring the Ford River Rouge complex in Dearborn. Trump told Sabula he would be fired, said UAW vice president Laura Dickerson, who observed: "This ain't 'The Apprentice'." She said the union supported Sabula's free speech rights and told attendees he still has his job and "has no discipline on his record."

China charges former AstraZeneca executive Leon Wang

China has officially charged AstraZeneca's former regional head, Leon Wang, with illegal trading, unlawful collection of personal information and medical insurance fraud, alongside another former employee. Wang, who has been in detention since 2024, was the drugmaker’s most senior executive in China for a decade until his arrest.
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OTHER

DfE expects all secondary schools to have ‘inclusion bases'

The DfE plans to establish "inclusion bases" in all secondary schools to support students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These bases will provide a dedicated space for targeted assistance, bridging the gap between mainstream and specialist education. The department said it aims to enhance inclusivity, although details on implementation remain unclear, with no specific timescale for delivery or details on funding reported so far. Schools Week reports that the new approach will be "underpinned by two models," with "support bases" to be commissioned and funded by individual settings and trusts, and "specialist bases" to be commissioned and funded by councils. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, writing in the i, said the new strategy will help "make all our schools inclusive by design", adding: "I've already seen the difference they make: children thriving alongside their peers, with targeted support when they need it."
 
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