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Rise in unemployment and weak pay growth underline how tough this year will be for UK householdsUK unemployment unexpectedly rises to 5%Business live – latest updatesNews that the UK unemployment rate jumped back to 5% in March appears to be the latest evidence that the Iran war has snuffed out the economic upturn Rachel Reeves had hoped to see in 2026.The Office for National Statistics reports that, after an unexpected fall in the unemployment rate to 4.9% in last month’s data, it ticked back up to 5% between January and March – the first set of figures affected by the conflict. Continue reading...

The phrase should evoke optimism, positive expectations about the future, trust and belonging. That seems almost out of reach in a chaotic worldOne term has already become the well-intentioned weasel word of 2026: “social cohesion”. A phrase that can be dropped into speeches, inquiries and legislation, its meaning shape-shifts depending on the audience. Is it about “glue” or the rule of law? About community resilience or countering fear? Does it mean finding places of real exchange, or shutting up and getting on?Although it has been in the political lexicon for years, the terror attack that targeted Jewish people celebrating Hanukah in Bondi last December brought social cohesion to the fore as an urgent problem to solve. Continue reading...