Reform UK plans to introduce a tax on companies hiring foreign workers if they win the next general election. The party argues this will encourage firms to prioritize British staff and reduce National Insurance contributions for employers of UK nationals.
Wes Streeting supports cutting employers' national insurance to boost hiring and calls for oil/gas drilling in the North Sea. Pat McFadden defends current policies, citing NHS improvements. Ed Miliband faces a decision on drilling consents.
Radical economic reforms such as cutting national insurance and overhauling capital gains tax are Labour's only ways of winning back voters they have lost to Reform and the Greens, a report will warn.
An AI system used to calculate healthcare contributions for Kenyans has been systematically overcharging the poorest households while undercharging wealthy ones, an investigation has found. The Social Health Authority (SHA) launched in October 2024 uses a flawed proxy means testing algorithm that has left millions unable to afford care, with some facing charges of 10-20% of their meagre incomes.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called for the abolition of National Insurance to counter AI's impact on jobs, suggesting the tax be replaced with corporate profit taxes. Speaking as an adviser to Anthropic and Microsoft, Sunak acknowledged concerns from graduates seeking entry-level positions in law, accountancy and creative sectors. He also revealed concerns about Anthropic's Mythos AI tool, which outperformed humans in hacking and cybersecurity tasks.
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called for the abolition of National Insurance to make hiring workers more attractive as AI increasingly affects jobs. Now an adviser to AI firms Anthropic and Microsoft, Sunak acknowledged concerns from graduates seeking entry-level jobs are justified. He suggested rebalancing the tax system by replacing National Insurance with corporate profit taxes, warning that AI's impact on employment may differ from previous technology cycles. Sunak also revealed concerns about Anthropic's Mythos tool, which can outperform humans at hacking and cyber-security tasks.
UK employment growth slowed significantly with only 24,000 jobs added in the three months to February, below population growth. Payrolls contracted in February and fell by 11,000 in March, while vacancies continued to decline. Economists now forecast unemployment will rise to around 5.5% this year, potentially reaching 6% if energy prices spike further. The weak labour market, combined with the Middle East conflict driving up energy costs and business uncertainty, has complicated the Bank of England's interest rate decisions.
