Farage picks Jenrick as Reform’s would-be chancellor as he unveils party’s top team

Nigel Farage has put Robert Jenrick in charge of Reform’s plan for the economy, dubbing him the party’s ‘shadow chancellor of the Exchequer’, as he announced members of his would-be front-bench team.

Mr Farage has unveiled four spokespeople who would form part of a cabinet if Reform win the next general election, saying his party was “the voice of opposition” to Labour.

He announced Zia Yusuf will be Reform UK’s home affairs spokesman, Suella Braverman will be their education, skills and equalities spokeswoman, while its new business, trade and energy spokesman Richard Tice said the party would create a new “super department” in government.

It comes as the government abandoned plans to postpone elections across 30 councils this May, after receiving advice from lawyers following a legal challenge from Reform.

Local government secretary Steve Reed had approved proposals to delay the polls to help deliver a major reorganisation of local authorities but that decision was withdrawn “in light of recent legal advice”.

Man killed and two fighting for life in Sydney triple stabbing attack

A man has been killed and two other people severely injured in a “random” stabbing attack on a busy high street in suburban Sydney, police said.

Officers arrived at the scene in Merrylands, around 25km west of Sydney’s central business district, at 10am to attend to reports that a man stabbed multiple people before fleeing the area on foot.

A man was later arrested from a nearby street and taken to the Granville Police Station, police said.

Two of the victims were stabbed inside a high street shop, while the third was attacked on the street outside.

One victim, a man aged in his thirties or forties, was declared dead at the scene. Paramedics attended to two others – a 22-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman – with serious injuries before they were taken to the hospital in critical condition.

A knife about 25cm long was used in the stabbings, superintendent Simon Glasser said.

“It’s very early in the investigation. Police are unaware at this point what the motive was. However, it appears it was a random attack,” Mr Glasser told a news conference.

“The alleged offender is known to police for petty crime and a number of mental health incidents,” he said. “He is not linked to the address he was located at. However, he is a local to the area.”

Mr Glasser said the victims were by themselves on Merrylands Road when the incident occurred and the three were not related to each other.

He said there were a lot of people in the area at the time of the attack.

The Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) said the same man escaped from care 10 days before the incident, according to ABC news.

“The district is aware a person alleged to be involved in the incident is a recent patient of Cumberland Hospital, which provides acute inpatient care for people with complex mental health needs,” a spokesperson said in a statement, quoted by the news outlet.

“On 7 February… this person absconded from care while being transferred from Cumberland Hospital to Westmead Hospital emergency department for further medical assessment,” it said.

“NSW (New South Wales) Police were notified and contact was made with the patient’s family, but all attempts by WSLHD to contact the person were unsuccessful.

“A formal review into the person’s care and treatment will be undertaken, which will include an external senior psychiatrist.”

The 25-year-old man, identified as a suspect, is now in police custody, but is yet to be charged.

“It’s a horrible offence to have taken place in Merrylands just prior to lunchtime with lots of people around,” Mr Glasser said of the “highly confronting” scene.

“It’s very reassuring to see members of the community come and help other members of the community that needed immediate assistance.”

Witnesses said they heard screams and later a large number of police, as well as helicopters, ambulances and police cars, arriving at the scene.

“We walked outside to see what’s happening. We seen a bunch of people, like a massive crowd, and then there was just a lady in front of the shop … and there’s just a bit of blood on the floor,” an eyewitness told ABC news.

Another eyewitness reportedly said he saw a woman with a neck injury as she was coming out of a convenience store.

Joseph Roussini, 59, said he called the emergency services after he saw a woman “screaming for her life”, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. He said he saw a “man and a lady coming out of the shop, and the man was holding the lady by the neck to try and stop the bleeding”.

UK’s Eurovision 2026 entry announced

The UK is hoping to end 29 years of Eurovision defeat this May – by backing an experimental YouTube star, who goes by the alias Look Mum No Computer, to win.

Could a man who crafts organs from Furbies and makes flame-throwing keyboards be the artist to finally secure triumph for the nation? Only time will tell.

The Kent-based solo artist, real name Sam Battle, will be representing the UK in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria.

Battle previously fronted the indie-rock band ZIBRA, who performed at Glastonbury in 2015 for BBC Introducing. Since then, however, he has pursued a solo career with a more electronic sound and launched his own YouTube channel, on which his videos building musical inventions have amassed over 85 million viewers.

Battle’s name is certainly appropriate given the UK’s patchy performance history at Eurovision in recent years. Last year’s entry, country-pop trio Remember Monday, crashed into 19th place (out of a possible 26) following their performance of original song “What the Hell Just Happened?”.

It was a similarly poor result in 2024 when pop singer Olly Alexander competed with his song “Dizzy”, coming in 18th place, and again in 2023 with Mae Muller singing “I Wrote a Song”, landing a dismal 24th place out of 25.

The most successful Eurovision entry in recent years was Sam Ryder, who dazzled with his Freddie Mercury-emulating rock song “Space Man!” in 2022, coming in second place after Ukraine’s winning entry, Kalush Orchestra.

Battle, said in a statement: “I find it completely bonkers to be jumping on this wonderful and wild journey. I have always been a massive Eurovision fan, and I love the magical joy it brings to millions of people every year, so getting to join that legacy and fly the flag for the UK is an absolute honour that I am taking very seriously.

“I’ve been working a long-time creating, writing, and producing my own visions from scratch, and documenting my process. I will be bringing every ounce of my creativity to my performances, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear and see what we’ve created. I hope Eurovision is ready to get synthesised!”

Outside of ZIBRA, Battle may be best known for his popular YouTube channel, launched in 2016, in which he builds and plays eccentric electronic instruments. Examples include organs crafted from Furbies and Game Boys, synthesizer bicycles and flame-throwing keyboards.

He also holds a Guinness World Record for building the world’s largest drone synthesiser. His music has been described as “experimental”.

In addition to his music and content creation careers, he has overseen the opening of a interactive museum in Kent, which “celebrates obsolete and experimental technology”, and has also put his name to a synthesizer-based video game.

Battle, who will perform at Eurovision under his Look Mum No Computer moniker, was chosen as the UK’s representative following a search led by the UK’s Eurovision project director David May, along with BBC Studios North executive producer Andrew Cartmell.

His single will debut on BBC radio in the coming weeks, on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment at the BBC, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Look Mum No Computer representing the UK at Eurovision in Vienna in 2026. His bold vision, unique sound and electric performance style make him a truly unforgettable artist.

“Look Mum No Computer embodies everything the UK wants to celebrate on the Eurovision stage – creativity, ambition, and a distinctly British wit. I am sure he will make us all proud on the international stage in May.”

The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest will feature the smallest number of participating countries since 2003, when the semi-finals were introduced.

Five countries – Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain – are boycotting Eurovision over the decision to allow Israel to compete.

Teacher banned after lying about graduating from Cambridge

A teacher has been banned from the profession indefinitely after he lied about going to the University of Cambridge and told his school he was five years younger than he was.

Nicolas Martin, who was the head of sixth form at St Edwards School in Cheltenham, admitted to lying on his job applications and fabricating documents. 

Following an investigation by the school, he was also found to have lied about being a magistrate.

Mr Martin told a disciplinary hearing that he was trying to pass himself off as “more younger, more dynamic and more fun”. 

The 43 year old qualified as a teacher in 2006 and started working at St Edmund’s in September of that year. In 2024, he successfully applied to be the head of sixth form, and later in 2025, he applied for the deputy head position. 

Discrepancies between the applications led to him being investigated and later referred to the teaching regulation agency. 

A professional conduct panel heard that Mr Martin said his date of birth was 1987 in his application in 2025, despite previously saying it was 1982. 

When asked about the discrepancy, he initially said that someone must have confused his handwriting, but in follow-up emails, he stated that the earlier 1982 date was incorrect and he had been seeking to correct it for several years.

The 1982 birth date was shown on employment records, including his passport and driver’s licence, but Mr Martin said that the issue related to an error on an old passport. 

The school then made further checks with the Department for Education, which only found records under the 1982 date. 

Mr Martin then provided updated passport and driving licence documents, which showed the 1982 birth date.

As part of an investigation, the school also reviewed the job application he made in 2024, in which he said his date of birth was November 2012, which would have made him 12 years old.

He also claimed to have a master’s degree in history from the University of Cambridge in his 2025 application, but told the school he had a master’s degree in history from Lancaster University in his 2024 application.

When asked to see the Cambridge degree, Mr Martin provided what he said was a copy of the certificate, and claimed the original was at his home, as he “liked to show it off to friends on weekends”.

The University of Cambridge later confirmed the details on the certificate were not true.

Mr Martin had used the post-nominals “MA (Cantab)” and “JP” in his signature, and stated he sat as a magistrate around once a month in both applications. 

HM Courts and Tribunals Service confirmed there was no record of him sitting as a magistrate in recent years.

During a disciplinary hearing in March, Mr Martin admitted to acting dishonestly, and accepted he had provided a false date of birth, had fabricated a certificate and had not sat as a magistrate for several years.

The panel report said: “Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality. 

“The panel finds that the conduct of Mr Martin fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.” 

He has been banned indefinitely from the classroom, and must wait two years before he can apply to have his prohibition order set aside.

Why washing your hair will bring you bad luck for the lunar new year

With the lunar new year now upon us, there’s no better time than this festival to lean into your full Chinese selves and understand what this season requires of you, and what superstitions you may want to take on board. Growing up in a Chinese family in Singapore, my year was consistently marked by various traditional celebrations and rituals – and never more so at the start of the new year.

The lunar new year is about sweeping away the old and welcoming in new and positive energies, such as good health and wealth. Also known as the spring festival, it marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar. The first day of the new year starts with the new moon and ends on the full moon. The first two days of the new year are when I mostly focus my attention, faithfully following the long list of dos and don’ts.

According to Chinese custom, no dusting or sweeping is allowed during the 15 days of the new year period… otherwise, you will be sweeping away good fortune and prosperity. While I’m only fussy about this on the first couple of days of the new year, I still stick to the tradition of no haircuts during the full season of 15 days. The Chinese word for hair is a homonym for prosperity. So cutting hair means you risk cutting off fortune and wealth. This is also why we don’t wash our hair on the first day of the new year; we don’t want to wash away what the year might bring.

Wearing red clothes is also seen as ensuring good luck and protection against evil spirits. Black and white, the colours of mourning, must be avoided. Don’t take out the rubbish and stay away from lending money: you will be breaking your connection with good fortune, and it will be flowing away for the rest of the year. And no crying and arguments on the first day; it could mean conflicts throughout the year.

The week leading up to the first day of the new year will have been full of preparations: meal planning, dusting and cleaning. This Year of the Fire Horse, according to Chinese metaphysics, is full of momentum and bold transformation, but also unruly and combustible. The combination of the horse zodiac animal and the fire element is considered rare and intense. One of my friends commented that “it makes me want to go lie down”.

When I was growing up, during the lunar phases of the new moon and full moon, we had to eat vegetarian food for the day – a traditional practice in Buddhist culture. The numerous gods in Chinese culture (the Goddess of Mercy, the Goddess of the Sea, the Kitchen God are just the tip of the iceberg) remind me of Christian saints – St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, the environment, and ecology; St Jude is the go-to for lost causes; and St Cecilia for music and musicians. There’s a god for everything.

The Malaysian-born American comedian Ronny Chieng has a whole stand-up section about our obsession with the “God of Money” (Caishen). When my brother moved into his new house, he rolled a pineapple into the house upon opening the door, symbolising the arrival of prosperity and good fortune. I have heard of some people rolling a pineapple into every single corner of their new home – for the fullest and most thorough blessings, and also because it’s just quite funny.

Myths, history and legends are threaded into the customs and stories passed down through the generations. Asian children are told off for pointing at the moon as it’s disrespectful to point at the Moon Goddess who lives there. Groceries must never be placed on the floor; they have to go on the table. Not just for hygiene reasons, but also out of respect for the food. Of course, there is always a symbolic meaning alongside these commonsense practices. Putting food on the floor is interpreted as treating blessings carelessly, which is believed to bring bad luck. The Kitchen God is always watching.

It was while idly scrolling through Instagram that I was stopped short by a post that seemed to know all these things about me. “So you want to be more Chinese, here are the 10 things you need to know”. Why was it asking me to be Chinese? I am Chinese! Yes, I do all of the things in the post and more. After some rooting around, I was introduced to the new trend for Chinamaxxing – people who are now declaring themselves to be at a very Chinese time in their lives.

At first, I wasn’t sure if it was racism or cultural appropriation. But Chinamaxxing does, in truth, seem to be a celebration of Chinese culture rather than a criticism. Sherry Zhu, a Chinese-American TikTok content creator, was influential in popularising the trend. Laugh-out-loud memes, informative posts about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), absurdist humour – 5,000 years of Chinese culture in a meme – possibly 8,000 years if this archaeologist is proved right. How incredible is that?

When my Chinese family and friends visit us in London, they always whisper and ask me for a glass of warm water, like it’s a dirty secret. Thanks to Chinamaxxing, everyone and their pekinese are now well aware of the benefits of warm water. Irrationally, I now feel self-conscious when I’m drinking warm water. Even when I’m all alone in the kitchen.

My evolution into a full-blown Chinese auntie, however, has been gradual. When I hit perimenopause, I turned to using dong quai (also known as female ginseng) to help me through brain fog and hot flushes. Remembering the wisdom exchanged between my grandmother, mother and aunties, I started to switch my Chinese frequency to maximum. My collection of medicated oil expanded. To my lone tiger balm ointment, I have now added Axe brand universal oil, red flower oil, and nutmeg oil. In Chinese medicine, there is an oil for every ailment. And yes, I do abide by the adage that if it still hurts, then just apply more.

For all fully-fledged middle-aged Chinese aunties, food and wellness are one and the same. Food contains energetic properties, and the yin-yang bodily balance must be maintained. Cucumber is cooling. Fried food is heaty. Rice goes with everything, and for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Generic long grain rice tastes of nothing, but fragrant jasmine rice? Now that is the king of rice.

Food is central to Chinese culture, and it’s often on our minds. When the post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us was on air, and people reeled from the Cordyceps fungus that turned humans into violent creatures, my immediate thought was, “Eat the cordyceps, goddamit! They’re really tasty in a herbal soup.” Cordyceps is a highly prized traditional Chinese medicine.

In more than 25 years of living in London, it hasn’t always been easy to live my Chinese identity under the Western gaze. So it’s liberating to see Gen-Zers embracing Chinese culture, their curiosity and interest encouraging me to live my full Chinese-ness in broad daylight. Hopefully, Chinamaxxing is more than just a fad and will last beyond the Year of the Fire Horse. I want people to discover the richness of Chinese history, culture and diaspora.

Some of my Chinese auntie ways are specific to my Straits-Chinese heritage, and every Westerner indulging in a spot of Chinamaxxing today should know we aren’t one amorphous mass; we come from different dialect groups, have different customs and food. My ancestors came from Hong Kong Island, Kinmen Island in Taiwan and Fujian region in China. In the 18th century, they ended up in Singapore and Indonesia for survival and trade. Even though they assimilated into the local Malay communities, they kept alive their Chinese traditions, language and culture.

If there’s one thing to take away from all of this Chinese flexing, it is how migrant groups can successfully integrate and transform within a host culture without ever losing their ancestral soul. I am all for everyone getting to know Chinese culture and appreciating its breadth and nuance. Perhaps the fire horse will ride us into a revolution of multiculturalism, with coexisting cultural identities within societies. It might happen. As long as we don’t cut our hair.

Traditions and tastes to savour: Hong Kong at Chinese New Year

The air crackles and sparkles with pink, red, green and gold as fireworks stream through the inky skies. Crowds gather either side of Victoria Harbour, awestruck by a spectacle that outshines even Hong Kong’s iconic skyscrapers.

Held annually on the second day of Chinese New Year, this incredible display is just one highlight in a calendar of must-experience events that will herald the Year of the Horse this February. Daytimes are equally vivid; streets bloom with flower stalls and colourful paper lanterns, while the air is perfumed with incense, citrus fruits and crisp yau gok: fried dumplings believed to bring good fortune for the year ahead.

Hong Kong is at its brightest and boldest during Chinese New Year celebrations, with all its rich customs, cultural traditions and culinary delights on dazzling display. Here we explore the events and spectacles that usher in the Year of the Horse, offering a glimpse of what this diverse, compelling destination offers throughout the seasons.

There’s no danger of missing the celebrations. Stretching over 15 days, this is a party that barely pauses to take a breath (or snack on a rice ball). Festivities traditionally start with the Night Parade on the 17th of February in Tsim Sha Tsui, on the southern tip of the Kowloon peninsula. The area is famed for its skyline views across the harbour and this event, held on the first night of the new year, brings spectacle after breathtaking spectacle, with dancers and musicians starting the party in style before the floats parade past, each one more colourful and ornately decorated than the last.

Another highlight in this stellar line-up of events is the annual Raceday. Locals and visitors gather at Sha Tin Racecourse to try their luck and usher in good fortune with lion dances, where lavishly costumed performers shake and shimmy away evil spirits. It’s one of the biggest days in the racing calendar and new year celebrations, so the atmosphere – whether watching a nail-biting finish to races like the Chinese New Year Cup or seeing top musicians perform – is guaranteed to be electric.

Throughout the new year period – and beyond – moments of celebration and quiet reflection can be found all around the city. Flower markets fill the streets with vivid hues with the heady scents of chrysanthemums, orchids and peach blossom among the blooms believed to bring good luck. Victoria Park, a verdant bubble of calm in the midst of the urban bustle, hosts one of the biggest and most impressive markets, while petals and floral charms add pops of colour to every stretch and corner of Hong Kong.

The region is rich in cultural sites and monuments that can be enjoyed any time of year, but are enhanced during this time of vibrant celebration. The Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees in the Tai Po District, for example, draw visitors with the promise of making dreams come true via wishes, written on a piece of joss paper and hung on nearby wooden racks – while Chinese New Year festivities throw live music, food stalls and traditional dancing into the mix.

It’s a wonderful window onto the rich heritage of Lam Tsuen, an area made up of 26 traditional villages where ancient practices and customs are very much, and vividly so, alive. Nearby Tin Hau Temple, dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea, was built in 1865 by local fishermen. Today, worshippers and tourists alike visit the site in the busy Yau Ma Tei area, burning coils of incense or simply soaking up the bustling, scent-filled atmosphere.

Hong Kong’s temples draw even bigger crowds to partake in and witness rituals that are specific to the new year. At Wong Tai Sin, the first worshippers to burn incense are believed to be the most blessed for the year ahead. Man Mo, in the heart of the city, sees worshippers pray for good fortune and health in the tradition of An Tai Sui – a Taoist ritual practised by those whose birthdays conflict with the ruling zodiac sign of that year. While at Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin, kau chim or fortune sticks are drawn to predict the year ahead.

One core element threaded throughout all the celebrations is food. From tangerines believed to bring luck, to dumplings doled out by street vendors and impeccable chef-led menus served at the most coveted tables in town, Chinese New Year serves up a mouthwatering array of edible delights.

Traditional tastes here go deeper than mere deliciousness; they are firmly rooted in Hong Kong’s culture and history. Fish symbolises prosperity, while poon choi – a many-layered dish originating in the villages of the New Territories, where families would throw whatever food they had into one communal pot – perfectly showcases togetherness in every bite, with ingredients ranging from charred pork to oysters and bamboo shoots.

Tong yuen, squishy little rice flour balls filled with peanut, red bean paste or chocolate, offer a sweeter way to celebrate unity, and can be found everywhere from longstanding dessert shops to Hong Kong’s constellation of Michelin-starred restaurants.Making it even easier to negotiate Hong Kong’s rich and varied culinary scene, this year sees the launch of Taste Hong Kong, a curated guide with 250 restaurant recommendations from over 50 local master chefs and Chinese Culinary Institute graduates, organised by neighbourhood. It’s all about hou mei – the Cantonese expression for ‘delicious flavours’ – and the tastes and traditions worthy of celebration, at Chinese New Year and beyond.

For more travel inspiration and to plan your trip visit Discover Hong Kong

Female Israeli soldiers rescued after being chased by crowd of ultra-Orthodox men during riot

Israeli police arrested 28 people after a large mob of ultra-Orthodox men chased two female IDF soldiers through the streets.

Chaotic scenes broke out in the city of Bnei Brak amid anger over conscription orders, with police using stun grenades to control the situation.

Footage from Sunday afternoon shows two women being escorted away by police while a huge crowd of men chased after them, shouting and kicking wheelie bins along the street.

The rioters injured five police officers, overturned a patrol car and set fire to a police motorcycle, reports say.

All 28 Haredi men and teenagers arrested during the riots have now been freed, a lawyer representing the suspects told Israeli media.

Shlomo Hadad told The Times of Israel that his clients had been freed because there was “no evidence for anything”, claiming the arrests were a “show for the media”.

But two of the suspects have been ordered to five days of house arrest after the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court said there was “reasonable suspicion” they had assaulted a police officer, according to Israeli outlet Ynet.

Police are still searching for the rioters who overturned a patrol car and set fire to the motorcycle, Tel Aviv District police commander Haim Sargaroff told reporters on Sunday.

Rabbi Dov Lando, the spiritual leader of the Degel HaTorah party, was forced on Sunday to deny that his rhetoric was responsible for inciting violence against Israel’s military forces.

The rabbi ordered students at ultra-orthodox schools to ignore, on religious grounds, conscription orders to the IDF, an order usually received at the age of 18.

Non-compliance can see teenagers sent to prison, as has been the case with dozens of conscientious objectors of Israel’s war in Gaza.

A 2024 order by Israel’s Supreme Court ended a long-standing exemption for Haredi Jews for conscription, after which the military began drafting ultra-orthodox men.

“What is this nonsense? Where did he use rhetoric that even hinted that one should go to demonstrations or use force or do something similar to that,” a spokesman for Rabbi Lando said.

Israel’s opposition leader, Yair Lapid, also responded to the violence while speaking in the Knesset on Monday.

“What we saw yesterday in Bnei Brak is not an isolated phenomenon. It happens time and time again under this government. You are permitting [the shedding of] the blood of the IDF. You are against the IDF,” he said.

Mr Lapid added that such violence “isn’t just happening in Bnei Brak”, referencing recent attacks by Israeli settlers against IDF troops in the West Bank.

UK unemployment hits highest rate in five years

Unemployment has risen to its highest level for five years and wage growth has slowed again, according to official figures, with the jobless rate among young people at its worst level for more than a decade.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment rose to 5.2 per cent in the three months to December, up from 5.1 per cent in the three months to November.

This was the highest since the three months to January 2021, and outside of the pandemic era, it marks the highest since the autumn of 2015.

Most economists had expected unemployment to remain at 5.1 per cent in the latest quarter, but data from HMRC suggests further redundancies are already expected as firms continue to hold off hiring for entry-level roles.

The ONS said the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds surged to 16.1 per cent in the latest quarter – the highest level since early 2015.

The Resolution Foundation think tank said the UK’s youth unemployment is now higher than the EU average for the first time since records began in 2000, with the rate across Europe at 14.9 per cent in the final three months of last year.

As well as a scarcity of entry-level roles, the impact of artificial intelligence is also impacting the availability of some positions, says Danni Hewson, AJ Bell’s head of financial analysis.

“Weaving AI into businesses to increase productivity is a positive move and may be the answer to a decades-old issue. But for young people in particular, already struggling to get their first taste of work, AI could result in a scarcity of entry-level posts,” Ms Hewson explained. “With more people hunting jobs and the number of jobs being created remaining fairly static, the pressure on businesses to ramp up pay has also receded.”

Sanjay Raja, chief UK economist at Deutsche Bank, said there might be more to come too, noting “the data suggests there may be a little more room to go before we hit the cyclical peak in the unemployment rate” and added that the numbers would fuel speculation that the Bank of England will cut interest rates.

Next month’s unemployment data from the ONS is due out on 19 March – the same date the BoE could cut interest rates from 3.75 per cent. Further key data, with regard to a potential cut, comes on 18 February with the latest inflation figures.

But there was a welcome increase in vacancies, up by 2,000 quarter-on-quarter to 726,000 in the three months to January – though with the rising unemployment rate, it means there are now more active candidates per vacancy.

Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said the data showed “more people who were out of work are now actively looking for a job”.

She added: “The number of vacancies has remained broadly stable since the middle of last year. Alongside rising unemployment, this means that the number of unemployed people per vacancy has increased, reaching a new post-pandemic high. Meanwhile, redundancies are also showing an upward trend.”

All now may hinge on tomorrow’s inflation figures, says Thomas Pugh, chief economist at tax and consulting firm RSM UK.

“December’s rising unemployment rate, slowing private wage growth and falling payroll numbers in January all point towards a rate cut in March. A soft inflation number on Thursday is all it will take to seal the deal.

“Overall, today’s data suggests the labour market was still weak at the end of last year. That strongly supports a rate cut as soon as next month and probably one more in the summer. But the Bank will still have to move cautiously amid sticky regular pay growth, especially as interest rates approach neutral.”

As for the wider employment market, job site Indeed’s senior economist Jack Kennedy says firms are still holding back on hiring more people, especially at the junior level.

“Employer caution is widespread across sectors. Businesses are essentially in wait-and-see mode, reluctant to commit to expanding their workforce until they have greater clarity on the economic outlook,” he said.

“What’s particularly concerning is the weakness at entry level. Employers are navigating a difficult environment – higher payroll costs, fragile business confidence and persistent uncertainty around growth – and they’re responding by pulling back on junior hiring. This makes it harder for younger workers to get that crucial first foot on the career ladder, and we’re seeing this reflected in rising youth unemployment. This isn’t just a short-term problem; delayed career starts can have lasting effects on earnings and progression.”

Pat McFadden, the secretary of state for work and pensions, said the government remained focused on getting young people into work.

“Today’s figures show there are 381,000 more people in work since the start of 2025, but we know there is more to do to get people into jobs,” he said.

“Our £1.5bn drive to tackle youth unemployment is a key priority and this month we announced that we’ll make it easier for young people to find and secure an apprenticeship, which comes on top of our investment to create 50,000 new apprenticeships.

“We’re also meeting people where they are – trebling the number of jobcentres on wheels, bringing a youth hub to every area in Great Britain and giving every young person the chance to earn or learn with our Youth Guarantee.”