Row erupts at Oxfam after chief executive forced out

The forced exit of Oxfam’s chief executive in the UK has sparked a row at the charity, with one prominent trustee claiming that damning leaks to the press were intended to “destroy” Halima Begum and compounded existing headwinds the organisation faces.

Over the weekend Dr Begum was removed by the board after an independent review – which has not been made public, and which The Independent understands had not been presented to her – that allegedly flagged “serious issues” in her conduct and decision‑making.

The organisation’s trustees said Dr Begum’s £130,000 a year position was “untenable” because of an “irretrievable breakdown in its trust and confidence” in her ability to do the job.

Dr Begum has also been accused of bullying and creating a “climate of fear” since she took up the role nearly two years ago – allegations which her supporters within the charity have dismissed as “absurd”.

In an article announcing her removal late on Sunday night, The Times reported that a letter to the board “signed” by almost 70 Oxfam staff – but who have remained anonymous – had called for trustees to investigate her conduct. The charity then hired an external public relations company to handle her departure.

In a statement on Monday, Oxfam GB said: “In line with our policies, a review was carried out by an independent specialist consultancy with recognised expertise in workplace culture, equity, and inclusion. We have great respect for colleagues who have raised concerns about culture. Their perspectives informed an independent review that took place.”

With little opportunity to defend herself before news of her sacking was publicised, colleagues sought to defend Dr Begum.

In a statement to The Independent, Balwant Singh, a board trustee at Oxfam GB, said: “Oxfam believes in and values kindness, justice and fairness. Sadly, Halima’s treatment has been anything but kind, just or fair.

“Whilst many of those who raised concerns about Halima’s leadership hid behind anonymity by claiming fear of retribution and retaliation, it is sickening that Halima has been subjected to what appears to be a carefully orchestrated and intentionally brutal retaliation and retribution in the national media.”

He added: “It also saddens me that for an organisation that stands for speaking up, many have chosen to hide behind anonymity. It does not bode well for the culture at Oxfam.”

Dr Begum’s departure comes weeks after the unexplained departure of Oxfam GB’s board chair, Charles Gurassa, who in 2023, when Dr Begum was appointed, described himself as delighted that someone with “such a wealth of experience in how to make change happen and a real passion to fight injustice” had agreed to lead the charity.

Shortly after her appointment, Dr Begum’s analysis of Oxfam’s finances revealed a £16.3m deficit which was soon worsened by massive US and UK foreign aid cuts. With falling donations and a weak UK economy, the future of the organisation she had joined was far from guaranteed.

Her appointment of a new chief financial officer and a subsequent restructuring, which meant putting hundreds of jobs at risk of redundancy, helped move the dial to address the financial issues. Nonetheless, in September Oxfam said: “Charities are being asked to do more with less at the very moment people need us most.”

Sources told The Times that staff had been unhappy over the necessary restructuring and that it had created “widespread animosity”.

Meanwhile, according to Mr Singh, Dr Begum “had filed a grievance/whistleblowing claim” against Mr Gurassa, made before she was aware of any concerns about her leadership.

“The claims related to sexism, racism and bullying. The grievance process is yet to be completed,” he told The Independent.

Akiko Hart, the director of the campaign group Liberty, also defended Dr Begum, who she described as a “mentor and friend”.

“I would urge everyone watching to hold off from immediate judgement and see what facts and evidence emerge,” she said in a LinkedIn post.

“I would invite people to reflect on the timing of this announcement, at the tail end of a painful restructure which was approved by the board, and a few weeks after the resignation of the chair.”

Oxfam has fought to maintain its hard-won reputation as a leading NGO in the years since allegations emerged in 2018 that the charity’s staff had hired sex workers while overseas, including in Haiti and Chad.

More recently, shop profits have fallen by around two-thirds in the past three years, according to figures released this month, underscoring a sharp downturn in retail performance.

Earlier this year, the organisation cut 250 roles from its 2,100-strong UK workforce, a move aimed at trimming £10.2m from its wage bill to address the shortfall in finances.

Over the summer, Dr Begum was accused of potentially compromising Oxfam’s reputation for neutrality after joining a parliamentary panel which featured a Palestinian journalist reported to have described the 7 October attacks on Israel as a “great day”.

Oxfam’s chief supporter officer, Jan Oldfield, who has been in the role for four years, will now become acting chief executive.

Harrowing details of Paul Doyle’s Liverpool parade attack revealed

Victims of Paul Doyle were left in tears as harrowing details of his dangerous driving were read out in court, after he crashed into and injured 134 people at a Liverpool FC victory parade.

On Monday, prosecutors said the former Royal Marine had used his Ford Galaxy as a “weapon” and that his “anger had completely taken hold of him”, causing injuries to children as young as six months old.

The 54-year-old wept in the dock as shocking dashcam footage was shown, with Doyle heard repeatedly shouting “get out the f****** way” while colliding with dozens of football fans.

Hero ex-soldier Daniel Barr bravely climbed into Doyle’s car and brought it to a standstill, which ended the two-minute anger-fuelled rampage.

After his arrest, he told police officers: “I’ve just ruined my family’s life,” and claimed he had “panicked”.

His victims told the court that a day of celebration had turned into the “worst day”, with many suffering from “emotional and psychological injury” as well as “frequent flashbacks”.

Doyle is due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday for his second day of sentencing, after pleading guilty to 31 offences.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s son says jailed Myanmar leader ‘could be dead already’

Aung San Suu Kyi’s son has said she “could be dead already”, warning that years of isolation and an information blackout under military detention have left him fearing the worst about Myanmar’s jailed former leader.

Kim Aris said no one has heard from his 80-year-old mother, who has been suffering an array of health issues in her old age, for two years. They have only been receiving second-hand details and updates on her health, he said.

Ms Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and longtime symbol of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, has been held in solitary confinement for much of her detention since her democratically elected government was overthrown in a military coup in 2021. Her imprisonment is the subject of a recent Independent TV documentary, Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi.

In 2022, following a trial widely regarded as politically motivated, Ms Suu Kyi was sentenced to 33 years in prison on a series of charges that international rights groups have widely condemned as a sham.

Mr Aris, a British national who kept a low profile until a few years ago, was in Japan meeting with various politicians and government officials, as he called on foreign governments to press for the release of Ms Suu Kyi and take a stronger stance against Myanmar’s junta.

He told Reuters that he has received only fragmentary reports about her condition and not even her legal team has been allowed to meet her in the last two years.

He led a protest outside Myanmar’s embassy in Tokyo with supporters demanding the release of Ms Suu Kyi and holding posters that had the word “Free” written on them. The demonstration was held to protest against the military junta’s plan to push ahead with the first phase of elections on 28 December, that critics said will be neither free nor fair and is an effort by the military to legitimise its rule after seizing power from the elected government of Ms Suu Kyi in February 2021.

“She’s ‍got ongoing health issues. Nobody has seen her in over two years. She hasn’t been allowed ‍contact with her legal team, never ‍mind her family,” Mr Aris said. “For all I know, she could be dead already.”

Mr Aris has been sharply critical of the junta’s plans to stage elections later this month – polls widely dismissed by foreign governments as a facade designed to entrench military rule. Yet he acknowledged that the process might still create a narrow opportunity to push for some relief in his mother’s treatment.

“I imagine (Myanmar junta leader) ⁠Min Aung Hlaing has his own agenda when it comes to my mother. If he does want to use her to try and appease the general population before or after the elections by either releasing ​her or moving her to house arrest, then at least that would be something,” he added.

Mr Aris, who has been actively campaigning for her mother’s release, previously told The Independent that Ms Suu Kyi is suffering from a worsening heart condition and has asked to see a cardiologist from outside the prison.

He said she needed urgent medical attention in an appeal to release her from what he called “cruel and life-threatening” custody.

A spokesperson for the military told state media at the time that her health was “good”, calling reports about her health “fabrications”.

Ms Suu Kyi is believed to be held in solitary confinement in Naypyidaw, the capital. She has been detained by the military several times and spent some 15 years mainly under house arrest before the 2021 coup. Myanmar’s military is known for releasing prisoners in amnesty to mark national holidays and important events.

She was freed from earlier detention in 2010, just days after the elections. At that time, she was arrested in 2009 after an American visitor stayed at her home in Yangon, which the authorities treated as a violation of her previous house arrest terms.

Mr Aris said: “Because of the upcoming elections that the military are trying to stage, which we all know are completely unfair, and so far from being free ​that it would be laughable if it wasn’t so lamentable, I need to use this small window of opportunity.”

Ms Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar’s independence hero General Aung San, was elected to lead the country’s civilian government after her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won a landslide victory in the 2015 general election.

A major turning point in her political career came in 2017, when Myanmar’s military launched a brutal crackdown against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state. Her global standing was severely damaged after she was widely criticised for failing to condemn the military and for defending Myanmar against allegations of genocide, including at the International Court of Justice in 2019.

Despite this, the NLD won another landslide victory in the November 2020 general election, further marginalising the military politically before the coup.

Mr Aris acknowledged that global attention had faded following his mother’s appearance at the international tribunal in The Hague but insisted she was “not complicit” in what the UN described as a genocidal campaign by the military against the Rohingya in 2016-17.

“In the past, when my mother was held in higher regard by the international community, then it was much harder for people ⁠to ignore what’s happening in Burma. But since her position was undermined through the crisis in Rakhine, that’s no longer the case,” he added, using the country’s former name.

Trump asks Xi Jinping to release British media tycoon Jimmy Lai

US president Donald Trump says he has asked Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to consider releasing Jimmy Lai, after the British media mogul was convicted of sedition in Hong Kong.

Mr Trump, who previously promised to “100 per cent get him out” of jail, expressed sadness over Mr Lai’s plight but stopped short of making a pledge to secure his release.

Mr Lai, 78, was convicted on Monday of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, conspiring to publish seditious articles in his newspaper, and fraudulently breaching the lease conditions for his company’s office premises. He has denied all charges.

His national security trial was closely watched in the West as a barometer of press freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

“I feel so badly. I spoke to President Xi about it and I asked to consider his release,” Mr Trump told reporters on Monday, without specifying when he had spoken with Mr Xi.

“He’s an older man and he’s not well. So I did put that request out. We’ll see what happens.”

The US president said in August he had raised Mr Lai’s case with Beijing and, according to Reuters, he urged Mr Xi to release the British businessman during their meeting in South Korea in October. The two leaders held a call in November focusing on trade issues and Taiwan.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio argued that Mr Lai’s guilty verdict showed China’s determination to “silence those who seek to protect freedom of speech and other fundamental rights”. “We urge the authorities to bring this ordeal to an end as soon as possible and to release Mr Lai on humanitarian grounds,” he said, citing reports of the Briton’s poor health.

The British government demanded that Mr Lai be “immediately released” and summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the conviction.

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the judgment as a “politically motivated persecution”.

Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel called Mr Lai’s case a “political show trial” that was “an outrage to democracy, personal freedom and liberty”.

“His degrading treatment and imprisonment at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarian regime has been appalling.”

She called upon prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to “directly raise Jimmy’s case with President Xi and demand Jimmy’s immediate release from custody so his ordeal can end, he can be returned to Britain and be reunited with his family”.

A statement from the EU said it “deplores the conviction” of Mr Lai which was “emblematic of the erosion of democracy and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong”.

China, in response, warned foreign powers against “smearing” Hong Kong’s justice system and interference in the country’s internal affairs.

“China strongly deplores and firmly opposes certain countries that blatantly smear and slander Hong Kong’s justice system,” Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said. “We urge relevant countries to respect China’s sovereignty, Hong Kong’s rule of law, to not unleash irresponsible remarks on the proceeding of the case in Hong Kong.”

Mr Trump had assured during his 2024 presidential campaign that he would secure Mr Lai’s freedom if elected, emphasising he would “100 per cent get him out”. In August this year, the president said he would “do everything I can to save” the British mogul.

Mr Lai was arrested in 2020 shortly after Beijing introduced tough new national security laws as part of a crackdown on the previous year’s anti-government agitation. He was best known as the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, a tabloid that was fiercely critical of Beijing.

He fled mainland China as a child and went on to become one of the most outspoken supporters of the democratic movement in Hong Kong, backing protests and holding meetings with foreign dignitaries.

Mr Lai’s conviction came after a marathon trial, keeping him in prison for five years. His family has raised concerns over his deteriorating health over the years, claiming severe weight loss, falling teeth, and hearing and vision loss.

Mr Lai is set to be sentenced early next year after a mitigation hearing in mid-January.

Only Fools and Horses cast to reunite for special anniversary series

Sir David Jason is set to reunite with fellow cast members from the beloved sitcom Only Fools and Horses for a new documentary series, marking the show’s 45th anniversary.

Titled Only Fools And Horses: The Lost Archive, the programme promises to unveil behind-the-scenes footage and previously unseen material that, according to the series producer, was “filmed but never broadcast”.

The iconic sitcom, a ratings juggernaut for the BBC, first graced screens on 8 September 1981. It became a career-defining role for Sir David, who portrayed the entrepreneurial Del Boy, and Nicholas Lyndhurst, who played his younger brother Rodney.

It followed the colourful escapades of market trader Del Boy and his less streetwise brother as they navigated the highs and lows of life in Peckham, perpetually striving for wealth.

Sir David, 85, expressed his enduring affection for the show, stating: “The love for Only Fools has never faded. It’s incredible to see how many people still hold it close to their hearts. Revisiting these rediscovered moments reminded me just how special the show was – and still is. It’s incredible to be able to share them now.”

The two-part series will feature new interviews with cast and crew, alongside archival material spanning more than 10 classic episodes, including fan favourites like “The Jolly Boys’ Outing” and “Mother Nature’s Son”.

Cast members, including Sir David, Tessa Peake-Jones (Raquel), Gwyneth Strong (Cassandra), and Sue Holderness (Marlene), will also pay tribute to the show’s late creator, John Sullivan, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 64.

The documentary will also include new material from episodes such as “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Uncle”, “Mother Nature’s Son”, “Time on Our Hands”, and an unbroadcast opening scene featuring Del and Rodney in a nightclub from “The Class Of ’62”.

The unearthed clips have undergone digital scanning and restoration from 16mm negatives, ensuring the cast appears in high definition. Sean Doherty, the director and series producer, highlighted the show’s lasting appeal: “Few shows have the kind of enduring popularity that Only Fools enjoys. The archive has uncovered some extraordinary material – 66 unseen clips and scenes so far that were filmed but never broadcast because they didn’t fit the timing or structure of the original episodes, plus nearly 100 assets from rushes and location filming. We’ve truly been spoilt for choice.”

Helen Nightingale, UKTV’s head of factual and factual entertainment commissioning, added: “Only Fools And Horses is part of the national DNA. With its humour, heart and unforgettable characters, it’s British comedy at its very best. This series is a celebration of its legacy and a chance to share new discoveries with the fans who’ve loved it for decades.”

The cast also included Leonard “Lennard” Pearce as Grandad, Roger Lloyd Pack as Trigger, and John Challis as Boycie. The enduring popularity of the show also led to a musical adaptation starring Paul Whitehouse, which opened in 2019 and toured the UK and Ireland in 2024 and 2025.

Only Fools and Horses: The Lost Archive is scheduled to air on U&GOLD in 2026.

Pit-Smoked and Bourbon-Soaked: how to eat in Kentucky like a pro

What’s a drop of Bourbon or a foot tapping beat without the perfect dish to accompany them? There’s more to the Bluegrass State than whiskey and music alone. Though those things are important. Vital actually.

In Kentucky, the good times come served with a side of soul-enriching food, from fine dining, to time-honed traditions passed down through generations. A combination of Southern know-how, bountiful farmland and top-notch ingredients, plus modern culinary talent combine to make Kentucky a truly world-class culinary destination.

So get your fingers sticky with the sweet tang of BBQ, find the ultimate comfort food at a ma and pop shop on the roadside, or pull up a chair beneath a crisp linen tablecloth. It’s all here. Let us guide you to the top spots.

Louisville

Home of the world-famous Kentucky Derby, and with deep roots in the world of whiskey making, Louisville is a place where tradition is respected. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t reinterpreted, reinvented, and well, shaken up.

Kentucky’s largest metropolis, which straddles the slow running waters of the Ohio River, was built on whiskey. But as the new food hub of the South, it’s writing a new, distinctly delicious chapter.

‘New Southern Cuisine’, that’s the term coined for this new spirit of reverent playfulness where chefs across the city are putting new unique twists on traditional Southern fare from Hot Browns to Benedictine.

At 610 Magnolia, in the heart of Old Louisville, for chef and owner Edward Lee that means seasonal, multi-course menus that combine surprising global flavours into locally-inspired, often Bourbon laced dishes. Think seared scallops with kimchi or a sweet pea risotto with rock shrimp and magnolia.

Jack Fry’s is an institution. Behind its shutter board and mullioned window exterior, live jazz accompanies Southern flavours prepared with classic French techniques since 1933. Where once bootlegging occurred in a backroom, today spicy fried oysters, Bourbon braised short ribs, and peach cheesecakes laden the tables.

Don’t Miss:

Walk the distilleries and tasting rooms of Whiskey Row. This is mandatory. The imposing cast iron and red brick facades of Main Street once fronted the offices and warehouses for the burgeoning Bourbon barons. Today, they’re a playground for whiskey enthusiasts with exclusive bottlings, tastings and more to explore.

Follow Whiskey Row – and the Urban Bourbon Trail – across multiple blocks, and you’ll find NuLu (New Louisville). The East Market District of downtown draws an artsy crowd hang out to its neighbourhood murals, street art, galleries, and innovative eateries from Biscuit Belly to Royal Hot Chicken.

Lexington and the Bluegrass region

Combine fine dining with authentic Bluegrass charm in Lexington and beyond, where a visit to the world famous Keeneland Rack Track isn’t all about the horses. Yes, Lexington is a race horse capital, but sometimes the food is the main event.

Arrive purposefully hungry, and get amongst the smell of turf, saddle leather and smoked meats as jockeys, trainers and spectators alike head to the Track Kitchen. A morning staple and one of the city’s best-kept secrets, its home-style food feels like a hug. But careful, pace yourself.

Trackside concession stalls, only open during the races, beckon with their many culinary delights. From Keeneland’s signature Bourbon Bread Pudding to Kentucky Beer Cheese and the refreshing Keeneland Breeze cocktail, the food and drink here are as much a part of the experience as the races themselves. Classic Southern comfort meets local flair.

Don’t Miss:

Head out to the countryside, where the morning mist sits low on the pastures of Thoroughbred farms. Culinary star, Chef Ouita Michel may have just pioneered farm-to-table dining over the past 15-plus years. With all that high-quality produce in abundance surrounding Lexington, it just made sense to make the most of it.

Visit all eight of Ouita’s famous restaurants – or just a few – on a culinary tour. Honeywood at Fritz Farm is all about the locally-grown specialities, from sweet potato beignets to duck-fat basted New York strip. Meanwhile, Smithtown Seafood is a quintessential taste of the south with wild-caught fried catfish, fresh-shucked oysters and blackened catfish.

Owensboro

Breathe in the sweet smell of smoke and molasses. When you catch the scent of a true pit master at work, you follow it.

In Owensboro, Kentucky’s undisputed BBQ capital, a passion for flavour and a dedication to time-honed techniques, means you’re in for a treat.

In this city located on the south side of a deep bend in the Ohio River, BBQ is more than just a dish, it’s a tradition. With a history dating back to the 1830s, the area has developed its own unique style of pit BBQ, where vinegar-based sauces are mopped over the meat during a lengthy smoking process. Think tangy, tender, and melt-in-the-mouth.

Sure you’ll find chicken, beef, et al. But with sheep historically more plentiful, the main event here is mutton. Burgoo who? Look out for local dish Burgoo, a stew similar to Irish or Mulligan stew, most often served with a generous wedge of cornbread. Well, this is Kentucky.

Don’t get us wrong. BBQ is a year-round way of life with secrets passed down generations. Head to the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, where smoked meat has been slung since the 1950s. Or Old Hickory BBQ, where the grills have been firing since 1918.

But once a year Owensboro becomes the global BBQ capital. At the International Bar-B-Q Festival, BBQ and Barrels, held every second weekend in May, 80,000 assemble for two days of BBQ heaven, while teams fiercely compete over secret recipes and sizzling coals.

Don’t Miss:

What goes better with a smoked slice, than the twang of strings? Owensboro is the Bluegrass world capital too. Stop by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum – the only international museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history and culture of this soulful, uniquely American genre.

Starmer hit by five Labour defections to Greens

Keir Starmer has suffered a blow after five Labour councillors in London announced they were defecting to the Green Party.

With London set to be a major battleground in next year’s crucial local elections, Green leader Zack Polanski has welcomed five Labour councillors from Brent to join his party.

It comes amid concerns that the Greens could take control of Labour councils in the coming elections next year, which could also decide the fate of Sir Keir’s premiership.

Mr Polanski claimed the move by the five defectors “mirrors what we’re hearing across the country”.

Previously, he told The Independent that he is also talking to potential defectors among Labour MPs.

Among the councils under threat is Camden, covering Sir Keir’s own constituency.

The five Brent councillors to defect from Labour include a former cabinet member, Harbi Farah, and a former whip, Iman Ahmadi-Moghaddam.

They are joined by Mary Mitchell, Tony Ethapemi, and Erica Gbajumo in moving to the Greens.

With concerns that the PM could be ousted following a briefing against health secretary Wes Streeting by Downing Street sources, a heavy defeat in May could be the end of his premiership.

Among those believed to be eyeing the Labour leadership are Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and energy secretary Ed Miliband.

The Labour defections to the Greens come as the party’s membership has surged to more than 180,000, up from some 70,000 when Mr Polanski was elected leader in September.

The Green Party has recently seen several defections from Labour across London, but not in such a large block.

Mr Polanski claimed the “Green surge has just widened in London”.

He added: “What we’re witnessing in Brent mirrors what we’re hearing across the country on doorsteps and in polls.

“Good Labour councillors can see Labour has abandoned any sense of progressive politics and is showing absolute cowardice in its doomed attempt to out-Reform Reform with the politics of division and scapegoating.

“Increasingly, people are finding the alternative they need by joining the Green Party and working for a better world shaped by hope rather than fear.

“In the elections in May, it is the Greens who will be taking the fight to Reform and we show our intent today in Brent.

“This is just the start.”

Defections to the Greens from Labour mirror a similar political phenomenon on the right of politics, where Conservative councillors and ex-MPs have flocked to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

In the polls, Labour are averaging around 20 per cent after just 18 months in power with Reform at around 30 per cent and the Greens climbing to about 12 per cent.

Unemployment rate rises to 5.1% to hit 10-year high outside of Covid

Britain’s unemployment rate rose to 5.1 per cent in the three months to October – the highest level for nearly five years, official data shows.

Outside of the Covid-impacted period, unemployment has not been at this level in the UK for almost a decade, since the first three months of 2016.

In addition, data showed wage growth slipping back further, though not quite as much as predicted, with young people in particular suffering amid a tough jobs market.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed the jobless rate rise, up from 5 per cent in the three months to September, while also noting average regular wage growth also pulled back again, to 4.6 per cent in the three months to October. This is down from an upwardly revised 4.7 per cent in the previous three months, and was 0.9 per cent higher after taking Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation into account.

Experts said the easing back in pay increases will reinforce the case for the Bank of England to cut interest rates when it decides on Thursday, as it helps ease policymakers’ fears over inflation.

The latest figures estimated the number of employees on payrolls plunged by 38,000 – the biggest fall for five years – during November to 30.3 million in further evidence of a weakened jobs market.

“[It’s] younger workers bearing the brunt of the slowdown in labour market activity as youth unemployment increased to 16 per cent. The prospects for a rebound in hiring activity for younger workers remain weak, particularly with the National Living Wage set to rise by 8.5 per cent from April 2026 for 18 to 21-year-olds,” explained KPMG UK chief economist, Yael Selfin.

The ONS said younger workers were struggling in the difficult hiring climate, with an 85,000 increase in those unemployed aged between 18 to 24 in the three months to October – the biggest rise since November 2022.

Responding to the ONS figures, secretary of state for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said it “underlines the scale of the challenge we’ve inherited.”

“That is why we are investing £1.5bn to deliver 50,000 apprenticeships and 350,000 new workplace opportunities for young people – giving them real experience and a foot in the door.”

Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “The overall picture continues to be of a weakening labour market.

“The number of employees on payroll has fallen again, reflecting subdued hiring activity, while firms told us there were fewer jobs in the latest period.

“This weakness is also reflected in an increase in the unemployment rate while vacancies remained broadly flat.

“The fall in payroll numbers and increase in unemployment has been seen particularly among some younger age groups.”

The ONS said that unemployment jumped by 47,000 for those aged between 25 and 34, while it was 28,000 higher for those aged 16 and 17.

Across the market, vacancies fell slightly, down 2,000 to 729,000 between September and November.

Martin Beck, chief economist at WPI Strategy, said: “The latest UK labour market data delivered a fresh set of worrying signals, suggesting that a long-running deterioration is still underway.

“With employment under pressure from a fragile economy and pay growth continuing to cool, the figures will provide another reason for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to back an interest rate cut this week.”

He added that while there was no repeat of the blow to the jobs market from April’s rise in national insurance contributions (NICs), the recent autumn budget risked compounding troubles.

“Further policy pressures – notably another sizeable increase in the National Living Wage next April and new obligations on employers from employment rights legislation – risk adding strain at a point when the labour market can least afford it,” he said.

Jack Kennedy, senior economist at Indeed, added the data “cements the case for an interest rate cut”.

“Looking ahead, planned increases in the minimum wage and the expansion of workers’ rights are set to be further headwinds to labour demand in 2026, particularly in lower-paid sectors where job postings are already down 9 per cent year-on-year,” he said.

“Hospitality and retail, already disproportionately affected by last year’s rise in employer National Insurance contributions, have seen hiring capacity eroded. As these sectors traditionally provide key entry points for younger workers, the weakening outlook raises growing concerns about rising youth unemployment.”