Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in UK

Migrants will need A-level standard English to work in the UK, under plans announced by the new home secretary.

Shabana Mahmood has announced plans to raise the standard of English required from the current lower grade GCSE standard to the equivalent of A-level in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Ms Mahmood said it was “unacceptable” for migrants to come to the UK “without learning our language”, claiming they were “unable to contribute to our national life”.

Migrants wanting to come to the UK on the skilled worker, high potential individual or scale-up visa routes will have to demonstrate they can speak B2 level English – equivalent to A-level standard – from 8 January 2026. This is up from the B1 level already required for these routes.

To come to the UK on the skilled worker visa, migrants have to have a minimum annual salary of £41,700 or earn the “going rate” for their type of work, whichever is highest. On the high potential visa, applicants must have been awarded either a university degree, masters or PhD.

The scale-up route is used for UK businesses that are fast-growing and need to hire foreign workers. Only 116 scale-up visas were issued in the year ending June 2025.

Increased language requirements will also be announced for other visa routes, including dependents, soon, the Home Office said.

Changes to the English language requirement were first reported in May when the government published their early plans in the immigration white paper. The new standard requires people to express themselves “fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expression” and to be able to communicate flexibly in social, academic and work situations.

Migrants wanting to come to the UK under these routes will have to pass a language test conducted by a Home Office-approved provider.

According to the government’s impact assessment of the policy changes, which was published on Tuesday, an increase in English standards would result in an estimated decrease of between 400 and 1,500 visa applicants in 2026-7. This was modelled across the skilled worker, health and care worker and high potential individual routes.

Home Office analysis of the skilled worker route found that 97 per cent of visa holders could speak English at least fairly well before coming to the UK – with 69 per cent saying they could speak the language very well.

In England, 18 per cent of adults aged 16 to 65 – or 6.6 million people – have very poor literacy skills, according to the National Literacy Trust.

Responding to the home secretary’s announcement, Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of Work Rights Centre, said that the change “demonises migrant workers and arbitrarily moves the goal posts on what counts as integration”.

She added: “The last thing anyone needs after a summer of far-right violence is more tough talk based on bad data. By the government’s own admission, most migrant workers are already fluent in English. Increasing English language requirements from intermediate to upper intermediate won’t make any difference to integration – this is already happening”.

Under government plans, the time for international students to find a graduate-level job after completing their studies will also be cut to 18 months from the current two years.

From 1 January 2027, graduate students will only be able to stay in the UK for 18 months.

Ms Mahmood said: “This country has always welcomed those who come to this country and contribute. But it is unacceptable for migrants to come here without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life.

“If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part.”

The home secretary also announced that travellers from Botswana will now be required to get a visa before arriving in the UK, including for short visits.

It comes after a high number of Botswana nationals arriving as visitors since 2022 had gone on to claim asylum, the Home Office said.

The immigration skills charge, which is paid by employers sponsoring skilled foreign workers to come to the UK, is also being raised by 32 per cent – to £480 per person.

Russian attack on hospital injures almost 60 ahead of Trump-Zelensky meeting

Almost 60 people have been injured in a Russian strike on a hospital in Kharkiv as Kyiv calls for access to long-range missiles.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said he will discuss the possibility of receiving Tomahawk missiles from the US during a meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday.

Announcing the departure of the Ukrainian delegation, Mr Zelensky said: “I will also have the opportunity to come to Washington and meet with President Trump on Friday. I believe we will discuss a series of steps that I intend to propose. I am grateful to President Trump for our dialogue and his support…

“… the main focus of the visit is air defence and our long-range capabilities aimed at exerting pressure on Russia for the sake of peace,” he said in a post on X.

Mr Trump has warned Russian president Vladimir Putin he may supply Ukraine with the US-produced missiles, which could help Kyiv strike deep inside Russia – including Moscow – if the Russian leader does not end the war.

Tomahawks have a range of 2,500km (1,550 miles) and could therefore strike anywhere within European Russia. Mr Zelensky said he had given Trump an idea of how many of the coveted Tomahawks Ukraine needed.

Bojo’s ‘Boriswave’ tantrum shows how unfit he was for No 10

Boris Johnson was always a shameless figure – part of his perverse charm, you might say.

Still, to this day, he refuses to take responsibility for the damage he, above all others, has done to this country – campaigning for a Brexit he likely never really believed in, and then implementing it as prime minister in such a roughshod manner as to leave this country hamstrung. I imagine the fact that the subsequent collapse in inward investment and costly trade restrictions hastened the Tories to their landslide defeat last year, and possible extinction, is not a matter he chooses to dwell on as he potters around his Oxfordshire moated mansion.

Yet you can sense some lingering dissatisfaction. An appearance on The Telegraph’s Daily T podcast this week proved he is as unwilling to take responsibility for his actions as ever he was – a tendency that dates back, according to his biographers, at least to his time at Eton, where he also learned how to dissemble. Specifically, not least because of the fuss made about it by Nigel Farage, he has had to confront the “Boriswave” – 2.6 million immigrants who came into the country entirely legally under his administration.

As ever, the excuses are ready to hand, just as they were while he was trying to run the country. There were the refugees from Ukraine and Hong Kong (they don’t count, he implies). During Covid, immigration was negligible, so it was bound to bounce back, wasn’t it? The EU students came back to finish their courses. The Home Office didn’t have any real-time figures, so “we were flying blind”.

In his version of events, he – Boris – had taken back control, and if his successors had wanted to have a zero-migration policy, then that was the legacy he left them – outside the strictures of the EU’s freedom of movement for workers’ rules. It only got worse after he’d been thrown out of office.

In other words, blame someone else. It’s Sunak’s fault for losing his grip and his nerve and calling the election last July too soon for the Rwanda plan to be in operation, and for failing to reduce the numbers sooner. Putin and the Chinese created a refugee crisis. The civil service didn’t have the information. Covid created labour shortages we had to fill. More than anything, he heavily hints, it’s down to those useless Conservative MPs who forced Johnson out back in July 2022, when they suffered what he calls “a nervous breakdown”. Nothing to do, therefore, with Partygate, and him lying to parliament.

Did he do anything about that as mayor or as prime minister? A single initiative? A speech? As much as a casual pointed quip? We got the Boriswave instead – the very opposite of what “take back control” implied.

That perceived betrayal, on the part of many, has given rise to a good deal of the tensions we’ve witnessed in recent years. However, like David Cameron, Johnson has, in that memorable phrase of Danny Dyer’s, got his trotters up somewhere nice, far away from such problems.

Of course, Johnson is still wrong about everything, with the honourable exception of Ukraine. The Rwanda plan would never have “fixed the small boats thing” because Rwanda was not a safe country under international law, and the package on the table was too small to act as a deterrent.

As far as I can tell, the Boriswave is his to own and his alone, because it was he who panicked as Brexit (his creation) wreaked economic havoc, and he had to give up on border controls on an unprecedented scale. Yet the irony is lost on him. He could have capped the numbers. He could have planned for what would inevitably follow Brexit when it was implemented.

He could have behaved himself during Covid, and then not needed to deliberately mislead the Commons. He could have chosen not to indulge sleazy allies. He could have not borrowed so much money to fund repeated lockdowns that the national debt spiralled up towards wartime levels. He blames the Labour government for the debt crisis.

Indeed, he is at his very worst when he attacks Labour. He’s pointlessly personal, recycling old lines about Keir Starmer being a “bollard” and a “snoozefest”, and attacks him for his relationship with China, although he didn’t do much about their espionage while he was PM, and resisted calling them a threat or an enemy of Britain. At one point, asked about Starmer’s great failing, he immediately replies that it is his – Starmer’s – willingness to take freebies. This from the man who didn’t even pay for his own wallpaper or – ever the romantic – his honeymoon with Carrie. (“It was all declared.”) Chutzpah, thy name is Johnson! Well, he did lie to the Queen.

Whether he’s persuaded himself that he was a brilliant success whose only “crime” was to be given a birthday cake (which he never took a bite of), or whether it’s all another charade from a man who knows he squandered his talents and the opportunities they presented, we will never know. I imagine he doesn’t know himself.

For Boris John is a man who seemingly never holds a mirror up to his own behaviour, and a man who cannot honestly examine himself and his record with equanimity. He is not a man who should be allowed anywhere near power again. Thanks to the Boriswave, it’s unlikely he’ll get that chance. As someone once said: them’s the breaks.

Tommy Robinson trial delayed because he is going to Israel

Tommy Robinson claims that Elon Musk is paying his legal fees, as the far-right activist faces a three-week wait for the verdict of his trial because he is due to visit Israel.

The 42-year-old, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, denies failing to comply with counterterrorism powers at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone on 28 July last year, specifically by refusing to disclose his phone’s PIN.

If found guilty, he could be jailed for up to three months.

Robinson, who thanked X-owner Musk for covering his legal costs, will travel to Israel on Wednesday until 25 October, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.

The prosecution and defence cases finished on Tuesday, but District Judge Sam Goozee has not yet made a decision on whether the activist is guilty or not guilty.

As the judge tried to set a date to hand down his verdict, Alisdair Williamson KC, defending, said Robinson would be out of the country for some time.

“He is a guest of the Israeli government in Israel tomorrow,” he told the court.

Judge Goozee told Robinson he would “accommodate” his “current travel arrangements” and adjourned his decision until 4 November.

Posting on X (Twitter) after the hearing ended, Robinson said: “Now that my trial is behind me, I will have my verdict handed down on November 4th in London.

“I’m leaving soon for a trip to Israel — a proud patriot coming tomorrow to stand with the Jewish state and deepen my understanding of the fight against jihad.”

Robinson, last month, organised a Unite the Kingdom rally in central London attended by between 110,000 and 150,000 people.

The invitation to Robinson was extended in the wake of the terror attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Manchester.

Amichai Chikli, Israel’s minister for the diaspora and combating antisemitism, said he was “proud to host British patriot” Robinson.

A tsunami of unemployment is heading for older workers

The latest labour market data from the Office for National Statistics delivered a familiar array of nasties: unemployment up, vacancies down.

As ever, it is those most vulnerable to the axe, and the lack of opportunities in the aftermath of said axe falling, who suffer the most when the labour market “tightens”. A “tightening” labour market is economist-speak for when it gets colder than the ready meal left in the freezer for the last three years for those looking for work.

Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), meanwhile, show this delivering a hard slap to older workers. The employment rate among people aged 50 to 64 years stands at 71.6 per cent, which is still below its pre-pandemic level. The employment rate gap between people aged 35 to 49 years and those aged 50 to 64 years stands at 14.1 per cent, little changed over the last year but uncomfortably high nonetheless. Here’s the real stinger: the unemployment rate for those aged 50 to 64 has increased from 2.4 per cent to 3.1 per cent in the last year.

Who are these people? I suspect a significant number of them have become so disheartened by the state of the labour market that they’ve given up seeking work. What are their lives like? It’s enough to make you shudder.

A friend of mine found themselves embarking on a long and dispiriting slog after being booted out of the City. They were highly qualified, had bags of experience, transferable skills, and positive reviews from colleagues. None of it helped – and for a long time. Their search mercifully ended happily, much more so than the executive recently featured in the Daily Mail. He traded a six-figure salary for £12.50 an hour after unsuccessfully applying for more than 50 roles. His wife wrote of the “brutal impact” on their marriage – a “passion-killer” that deleteriously impacted the man’s mental health.

Older workers tend to find themselves shuffling uncomfortably in the spotlight when CEOs and finance directors decide that it’s time for a round of cost-cutting to pad their bonuses. They tend to be first in line for the chop because they are expensive. Their bosses know the cost of everything. Do they understand the concept of value? I’m not so sure.

If you burn through this cohort, who will be there to train and/or mentor younger members of staff for you? Or just to provide a shoulder to cry on when the boss is being an ass? Don’t underestimate how important that can be. I’ve been there. It was often the greybeards in the office who took us to the pub, bought the drinks, and offered words of encouragement when the boss had behaved badly.

Some employers see the issue better than others. Rest Less, a website for the over-50s, highlights a diverse range of companies including Aviva, Boots, B&Q, National Express, Atos, Next, Sainsbury’s and Starling Bank. However, there is still work to be done, including by government. It would very much like people to work for longer, and they need to because it has been increasing the retirement age as a (partial) means of addressing the ruinous cost of the “triple lock” that sees the state pension rising by inflation, average earnings or 2.5 per cent, whichever is higher.

The result is that the retirement age, now 66 for men and women, will increase to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and then to 68 between 2044 and 2046. I’d put good money on 68 coming a lot sooner. The lock – which has become a political sacred cow – is sucking resources from other departments. It’s an economic carbuncle that ministers daren’t touch for fear of the reaction.

Zoomers: if you don’t think this is a problem for you, believe me, it will become one. Consider this: the average age at which people buy their first home has been increasing. It now sits at 33, according to trade body UK Finance. The terms of mortgages have similarly been on the rise to help buyers cope with the sky-high cost of housing. They used to run for 25 years. Terms of 30–35 years are now quite common.

This means people are still going to be saddled with mortgage debt into their late sixties, maybe even their seventies (remember, 33 is an average, so many first-time buyers will be significantly older than that).

The cost of a home loan should – should – get more manageable over time. But what if you find yourself without an income, and with little chance of changing that? See where this is going? Pictures of homeless elderly people who’ve had their homes repossessed are not what any government wants to see. But they’re coming.

From galleries to cuisine, delve into enriching Norwegian experiences

Culture lovers will feel right at home in Norway. Whether you want to delve into its ancient Viking history, learn more about Norwegian traditions, or just explore the countless museums and galleries, there is something for all curious culture seekers. From the colourful fishing villages of Lofoten to the Indigenous Sámi traditions in the north, Norway’s got it all.

The best way to learn about the Norwegian way of life is to go on a Hurtigruten cruise alongside their local Expedition Team, who know Norway better than anyone. Between them, they have many years of knowledge and are on hand to help you delve deep into Norway’s compelling culture. They also provide unique experiences beyond typical tourist spots, with specialised team members hosting lectures and leading optional, guided hikes and activities.

Choose from an Original Voyage or a Signature Voyage, both offering the chance to wholly experience Norwegian history and culture. The former follows the original Coastal Express route founded by Hurtigruten over 130 years ago, traversing up to 34 diverse ports, with opportunities to hop off and explore charming towns, fascinating sites and local experiences, and enjoy delicious Norwegian dishes as you sail, with regional ingredients sourced along the way.

While on premium Signature Voyages, you can enjoy a journey around up to 14 handpicked destinations. Between lengthy on-shore visits, you can enjoy all-inclusive options at the onboard restaurants serving fine Norwegian cuisine amid exquisite surroundings. Every meal tells a story of Norway’s bountiful coastline, from fresh Arctic char and cod to cloudberries and reindeer meat.Read on to discover cultural must-sees and dos you can experience en route…

Start your cultural exploration in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city and the starting point for the iconic Coastal Express route, founded in 1893 and one many describe as the world’s most beautiful voyage. This old city goes back to the year 1070 and is brimming with cultural hotspots, like the UNESCO-listed wharves of the colourful Bryggen district. If you have time before you depart, grab lunch from the famous fish market before swinging by the KODE art museum, where you can see works from iconic Norwegian artists like Edvard Munch. You could also hop on the Fløibanen funicular to Mount Fløyen for epic views of the city and surrounding fjords.

Further along the route, you’ll visit the Trøndelag region, Norway’s third-largest city, dotted with historic buildings like Nidaros Cathedral, nicknamed Norway’s Notre Dame. It’s considered the most sacred building in all of Norway and sits side by side with the Archbishop’s Palace, home to Norway’s crown jewels belonging to the monarchy, dating back more than a thousand years.

The Lofoten Islands are a highlight on the Coastal Express route. This stunning archipelago is known for its towering peaks, fishing villages, and thriving art scene. Visit local galleries scattered around the region, each housing a curated collection that tells a story inspired by the soaring Lofoten peaks and the Arctic waters. Magic Ice Lofoten in Svolvær celebrates ice art and coastal culture, while The Glass Hut Vikten is on the outskirts of the island Flakstadøya and is all about rustic works of art made from glass, inspired by the rugged nature of Norway. And if you want to explore the landscapes behind this, there are also plenty of hiking trails leading to breathtaking viewpoints or the chance to kayak among the waterways.

Some routes also stop at Mehamn, where you can go on an excursion among the Sámi, Europe’s northernmost indigenous people. Sámi history and culture are deeply connected to Arctic nature, which has played a pivotal role in their traditional nomadic way of life. They’re known for their reindeer herding, traditional crafts, and unbreakable bond with nature. You’ll get to spend some time alongside a Sámi family and learn about their traditions, reindeer culture, and traditional crafts, known as duodji.

You’ll also have ample time to explore Tromsø on Hurtigruten’s North Cape Line on one of their premium, all-inclusive Signature Voyages. It’s the gateway to the Arctic and home to the Polar Museum, where you can learn all about exploration in the region. The Northern Norway Art Museum here celebrates Norwegian and international art, including contemporary Northern and Sámi art and crafts. You’ll have plenty of time here, so enjoy a meal at Bardus in Tromsø for authentic Norwegian dishes, like reindeer steak with lingonberries, or try Fiskekompaniet for locally sourced fish and shellfish, all prepared in a traditional Norwegian way.

Whether feasting on fish in Tromsø or gallivanting around the museums of Lofoten, Hurtigruten Cruises provide the perfect way to get to know the history, heritage and culture of Norway alongside those who know it best.

Book your Norwegian adventure for less, with up to 30% off, plus 10% off excursions on selected Coastal Express and North Cape Line voyages. For offers, routes and excursion info, visit Hurtigruten.

Alex Jones loses Supreme Court bid to avoid paying $1.4bn to Sandy Hook families

The Supreme Court rejected a last-ditch appeal from right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones who is desperate to avoid paying nearly $1.5 billion to the families of the Sandy Hook massacre he falsely called a hoax.

The justices turned down his appeal without comment Tuesday.

Last month, Jones pressed for the nation’s high court to intervene, warning that unless justices take action, his Infowars website and assets will likely end up in the hands of satirical news website The Onion.

That potential acquisition — which was put on hold last year — would support families of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, which killed 20 children between six and seven years old. Jones has called it “staged” and a “hoax,” fueling a wave of harassment against the families.

Without the Supreme Court’s intervention, Infowars stands to be acquired “by its ideological nemesis and destroyed,” his lawyers wrote in court filings last week.

“The Supreme Court properly rejected Jones’s latest desperate attempt to avoid accountability for the harm he has caused,” Chris Mattei, a lawyer for Sandy Hook families, said in a statement shared with The Independent.

“We look forward to enforcing the jury’s historic verdict and making Jones and Infowars pay for what they have done,” he added.

In her late 2021 ruling, Judge Barbara Bellis found Jones liable for defamation and only convened a jury to determine the amount of damages the families would receive, citing Jones’ unwillingness to abide by the court’s orders to produce evidence to the plaintiffs.

In their Supreme Court appeal, Jones’ attorneys claimed those were “minor” discovery violations that did not justify an unjust and disproportionate penalty.

In 2022, a jury delivered a massive $964 million verdict against Jones and Infowars’ parent company Free Speech Systems, with Bellis adding an additional $473 million in punitive damages for spreading falsehoods about the shooting.

A Connecticut appeals court upheld all but $150 million of the verdict last December, while the state’s top court denied Jones’ request for a review in April. A separate $49 million judgment awarded to the parents of another Sandy Hook victim in a defamation lawsuit in Texas is currently being appealed.

The families have maintained that Jones’ conduct towards them over the years was both malicious and intentional, claiming that his motivation all along was profit, which they added was supported by his attempts to hide evidence throughout the case.

During the trial for damages, the families also testified that they were subjected to death threats and harassment from Jones’ supporters. The Infowars founder has insisted that there is no evidence linking him to those actions.

According to Jones’ legal team, the default ruling violates the First Amendment, and the $1.4 billion judgment runs afoul of the Eighth Amendment due to excessive punishment.

“It is an amount that can never be paid, and which based on the trial court’s findings may not be dischargeable in bankruptcy,” his lawyers argued. “The result is a financial death penalty by fiat imposed on a media defendant whose broadcasts reach millions.”

His legal team has also argued that Jones’ remarks about the shooting being a hoax perpetrated by crisis actors weren’t defamatory to the victims but “expressions of constitutionally protected opinion.”

Jones, for his part, has since asserted that he now believes the massacre was legitimately real.

“The media landscape is rife with groups challenging various events, including Holocaust denial, moon landing skepticism, 9/11 conspiracy theories, and even flat Earth claims,” Jones’ attorneys wrote. “However, such statements critique or dismiss the events themselves, not the character, conduct, or reputation of those associated with them.”

Claiming that the “result will chill the reporting of news,” Jones’ team urged the high court to review whether state courts can impose “death penalty” default sanctions on media defendants, asserting that the Sandy Hook families themselves were “public figures” and Jones was merely reporting on issues of public concern.

“Death penalty” sanctions are generally issued by courts over discovery abuses and effectively adjudicate the case, resulting in default judgments.

After filing for bankruptcy in 2022 following the trial losses, Jones saw a Houston judge rule in 2023 that most of the judgments in the cases would not be discharged in the bankruptcy. Eventually, the bankruptcy of Free Speech Systems was dismissed, and Jones’ personal bankruptcy was converted from Chapter 11 to a Chapter 7 liquidation.

Last fall, an auction was held to sell off Infowars’ assets to pay the Sandy Hook families, with satirical news outlet The Onion being named the winning bidder.

But the sale was blocked in December after a bankruptcy judge ruled the process was flawed, allowing Jones to keep Infowars — for now.

Last month, a Texas state judge appointed a receiver to proceed with liquidating Free Speech Systems’ assets, once again opening the door for The Onion to purchase the conspiracy site. Jones is currently appealing that ruling with a Texas appeals court, which temporarily paused the receivership in late August.

Jones has also been accused of trying to shield assets of more than $5 million from the trustee of his personal bankruptcy to avoid paying the Sandy Hook families. This included claims that Jones fraudulently transferred $1.5 million to his wife, $800,000 to his father, and tried to hide his ownership of two condos with a combined value of $1.5 million.

Jones, meanwhile, has insisted that even if the Infowars brand and property are taken from him, he will stay on the air by starting another company.

Still, because a bankruptcy judge ruled that the families could continue to make claims on any money Jones earns in the future through other business ventures, as his behavior was deemed “willful and malicious.”

Nurse struck off for racist and sexual comments to colleagues

A nurse who made a number of sexually inappropriate and racist remarks while working in prisons has been struck off.

Paul Bryan Vogler was a registered nurse at HMP Huntercombe, HMP Pentonville, and HMP Wormwood Scrubs until his suspension in 2020.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel heard that Vogler made far-right political comments to colleagues and had asked patients about their crimes.

While working at HMP Huntercombe in 2018, Vogler was found to have challenged Patient A about his offending, before using Google to search him and show him written articles on his computer screen.

While working at HMP Pentonville in 2019, he made sexually inappropriate comments about two colleagues, had shown videos of far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulous and made inappropriate jokes during an appointment with a patient who had self-harmed.

The committee also heard that during his time of employment, Vogler was “aggressive” towards black staff members and had made “derisive” comments about them.

This included questioning their medical practice and commenting on their food choices. He also referred to Islam as being a “death cult” and referred to his colleagues as “f****** left wing c****”.

Vogler was previously suspended after several disciplinary investigations and resigned in 2020.

He has now been struck off with the panel imposing an interim suspension order for 18 months to cover any appeal period “for the protection of the public”.

In their written judgement, the NMC said: “In the panel’s view Mr Vogler’s misconduct revealed deep-seated attitudinal problems including racial and sexual discrimination. It determined that, given the seriousness of the concerns, the deep-seated attitudinal problems and Mr Vogler’s lack of insight, there were no appropriate, proportionate and workable conditions that could be formulated.

The panel said that while there are “no concerns” regarding his clinical competence, his racist and sexist attitudes are “fundamentally incompatible” with remaining on the register.

“Mr Vogler has breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession of prioritising people, practising safely, and promoting professionalism and trust in the nursing profession,” it said.