Tag: 2026

  • PRESS RELEASE : Almost 180 more Youth Hubs to help young people build skills and find jobs [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Almost 180 more Youth Hubs to help young people build skills and find jobs [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 15 June 2026.

    • Thousands of young people across the country are set to receive employment, education or training support as almost 180 new Youth Hub locations are confirmed.
    • Areas including Inverclyde, St Albans and Cardiff will see new hubs open in local sports clubs, libraries and other venues at the heart of the community– bringing support out of the jobcentre to meet young people where they are.
    • Youth Hubs are central to the Government’s once-in-a-generation drive to tackle youth unemployment, backed by £2.5 billion investment.

    Thousands of young people across Great Britain will benefit from access to expanded employment and wrap-around support services as the locations of almost 180 new Youth Hubs are confirmed this morning [15 June 2026].

    The rollout forms part of a national expansion of Youth Hubs to over 360 areas with the aim that a young person is no more than one hour away from a Youth Hub by public transport.

    This will ensure that vital support, delivered in the community, is available to even more young people, making local support services accessible, no matter where they live.

    From football clubs to colleges and libraries, the hubs bring together local mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities as well as careers guidance and work opportunities with links to local employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.

    Confirmation of the next wave of Youth Hubs came shortly after Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited a youth point – the Dutch equivalent of Youth Hubs – during a fact-finding trip to the Netherlands, which has one of the world’s lowest NEET rates.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

    We want to make sure young people are getting real, personalised support, that’s not one size fits all. I’ve seen how it can change lives.

    Our Youth Hubs have over the past two years pioneered this approach – bringing job centre services together with mental health support, housing advice and more.

    I want to turbocharge this rollout so that every young person has this support within reach that can help them move into learning or earning.

    Yesterday the Work and Pensions Secretary visited the Tower Hamlets Youth Hub, located in the Feldy Community Centre, where he met young people who are currently receiving personalised guidance to allow them to move into employment and training. The Secretary of State heard from young people who have already been helped by the Hub, and how the range of support offered will be central to them moving forward.

    Tanzeem Ahmed, Assistant Director of Employment and Training at Poplar HARCA, said:

    We’re proud to launch the Tower Hamlets Youth Hub at the Feldy Centre in Poplar this June, supporting local young people to move into work, training or volunteering.

    This welcoming, community-based space brings together personalised support – from CV writing and job applications to accredited training and wellbeing advice – helping young people build confidence and skills.

    By working with partners like Jobcentre Plus, we’re removing barriers and creating clear, positive pathways into employment for local young people.

    Since opening in May 2026, The Tower Hamlets Youth Hub has established itself as an exemplary Youth Hub, working with local stakeholder and partners to ensure a joined-up approach, bringing together access to mental health, wellbeing, employment and skills support for local young people.

    Over the next three years, the Government is expanding its network of Youth Hubs to over 360 local areas across Great Britain. This will connect every 16-to-24-year-old across the country and provide themreal opportunities in their local area, ensuring each person has access to high-quality, wide-ranging support to move towards learning or earning.

    Our new Youth Hubs will meet young people where they are, in football stadiums and community venues across Britain, giving them access to housing support, mental health help and a clear pathway into work or training, exactly as Alan Milburn recommended.

    Youth Hubs are a key part of the £2.5 billion investment in the Youth Guarantee and come alongside changes to the Growth and Skills Levy which aim to refocus the skills system towards people at the start of their working life.

    The government is also supporting businesses to hire young workers with a Youth Jobs Grant worth £3,000 for every 18- to 24-year-old hired who has been on Universal Credit for six months, while a £2,000 apprenticeship incentive is available for each new employee aged 16 to 24 taken on by a small business.

    Ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn through the government’s Youth Guarantee and turning the tide on the nation’s high NEET rate is essential to driving the nation’s plan for growth.

    Additional information

    The DWP will now work with local authorities and partner organisations to identify the best locations for the hubs.

    Youth Hubs may open ahead of the roll out schedule detailed below subject to local readiness.

    Hubs opened in Year One (since announcement in March 2026):

    England

    Wandsworth, Stockton-on-Tees, Bromley, Bracknell Forest, Guildford, Swindon, Crawley, Reigate and Banstead, Sefton, West Berkshire, Derby, Tower Hamlets, Thanet, Knowsley, Leicester.

    Scotland

    South Lanarkshire

    Wales

    Carmarthenshire (Llanelli), Rhondda Cynon Taf, Neath Port Talbot, Caerphilly.

    Hubs scheduled to open in Year Two :

    England:

    Norwich, East Suffolk, Cannock Chase, Greenwich, Ashford, North Northamptonshire, East Staffordshire, Thurrock, North East Derbyshire, Rother, North Devon, Harlow, Maidstone, Lincoln, Bedford, Torridge, Chorley, Milton Keynes, Arun, North Warwickshire, Cheshire West and Chester, Dartford, Breckland, Gedling, East Riding of Yorkshire, High Peak, North Norfolk, South Holland, South Ribble, Somerset, North Somerset, Stevenage, Havering, Slough, Fylde, Melton, West Northamptonshire, Castle Point, Teignbridge, Stafford, Lancaster, South Derbyshire, Canterbury, South Kesteven, Lewes, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheshire East, Braintree, West Lancashire, Mid Devon, Colchester, North West Leicestershire, Redbridge, Hillingdon, Broxtowe, Bexley, Dacorum, Wychavon, Camden, Malvern Hills, South Staffordshire, Reading, Watford, North Yorkshire, Sutton, Southwark, Dorset, Rugby, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Tewkesbury, Merton, Kensington and Chelsea, Forest of Dean, Broxbourne.

    Scotland

    Angus, Inverclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, Highland, East Lothian, Argyll and Bute, Perth and Kinross, Moray

    Wales Vale of Glamorgan, Flintshire, Cardiff, Powys, Monmouthshire, Gwynedd

    Hubs Schedules for Year Three:

    England

    Lichfield, New Forest, Hinckley and Bosworth, Rushmoor, West Suffolk, Hertsmere, Central Bedfordshire, Staffordshire Moorlands, North Kesteven, Cheltenham, Adur, Rochford, Wiltshire, South Norfolk, Chelmsford, Eastleigh, Huntingdonshire, Test Valley, Bromsgrove, Tonbridge and Malling, North Hertfordshire, Wealden, Welwyn Hatfield, Tunbridge Wells, Cherwell, East Devon, Mid Suffolk, Oadby and Wigston, Fareham, Broadland, Sevenoaks, York, Maldon, Exeter, Derbyshire Dales, Charnwood, Blaby, Vale of White Horse, Stroud, West Devon, Babergh, South Gloucestershire, Harrow, Bath and North East Somerset, East Cambridgeshire, Stratford-upon-Avon, West Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Epsom and Ewell, South Hams, Epping Forest, Chichester, Warwick, Runnymede, Tandridge, Winchester, Brentwood, Harborough, Three Rivers, East Hampshire, St Albans, Cotswold, Horsham, Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire, Rushcliffe, East Hertfordshire, Mid Sussex, Ribble Valley, South Oxfordshire, Wokingham, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Uttlesford, Hart, Rutland, Waverley, City of London.

    Scotland

    Stirling, City of Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

    Wales

    Ceredigion

  • PRESS RELEASE : Pressure piled on Russia as Prime Minister steps up support to power Ukraine at G7 Summit [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Pressure piled on Russia as Prime Minister steps up support to power Ukraine at G7 Summit [June 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 15 June 2026.

    Pressure piled on Russia as Prime Minister steps up support to power Ukraine at G7 Summit.

    • Prime Minister Keir Starmer to turn up the pressure dial on Russia as he announces new sanctions and doubles down on energy support for Ukraine at the G7 in France today
    • Major energy deal to power Ukraine for the next two years through the supply of UK nuclear fuel, supporting hundreds of British jobs in the North West of England
    • New sanctions package expected today is also set to choke Russia’s war effort across multiple fronts, boosting European security

    The UK is set to power Ukraine for the next two years and announce a new swathe of sanctions today [TUE] as the Prime Minister steps up support to ensure Ukraine can continue to fight for as long as it takes.

    It comes as G7 gets under way in Evian, France, this morning, with the first roundtable session focused on building peace and security for Ukraine and for Europe. The Prime Minister is expected to speak during the session, telling leaders that the G7 should collectively go further to ensure Ukraine secures the just and lasting peace it deserves.

    He will reiterate that the fighting needs to stop, an immediate ceasefire should be implemented, and that negotiations should start from the current line of contact.

    The Prime Minister directed officials in recent weeks to step up support for Ukraine across every dimension, from military equipment to vital energy support and pressure on Putin’s war machine to ensure Ukraine’s momentum on the battlefield is sustained into next winter. 

    That pressure includes action on Russia’s shadow fleet, which was illustrated by the major military operation to interdict the SMYRTOS vessel in the early hours of Sunday morning.

    Vital lessons from Ukraine, and how the UK can drive forward European security, are also expected to be a central focus of the Defence Investment Plan, which will be published ahead of the NATO Summit.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Russia’s aggression threatens not just Ukraine, but the security of all Europe.

    That is why the UK is stepping up – choking off the revenues that fuel Putin’s war and powering Ukraine through the winters ahead.

    We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes and this announcement reinforces that. Putin should roll back his tanks, end his barbaric strikes, and come to the negotiating table.

    Meanwhile, the UK will power Ukraine’s nuclear plants for the next two years with £210 million of UK Export Finance support to enable UK-based Urenco to supply enriched uranium to Ukraine’s nuclear power producer, Energoatom. The deal was agreed between the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy during their meeting at Downing Street last week.

    The deal is critical to Ukraine’s energy security, with Energoatom providing over 50% of the country’s electricity.

    The agreement also supports UK jobs and exports, with more than a third of the uranium content originating from Urenco’s processing plant in the North-West of England. Urenco employs more than 650 people in the UK and its work at its Chester site supports more than 4,500 jobs around the UK in the wider supply chain.

    The financing, backed by UKEF, builds on a previous two-year deal to supply nuclear fuel to Ukraine.

    By securing Ukraine’s energy supply, the deal strengthens Ukraine’s resilience and ability to resist Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, directly supporting UK and Euro-Atlantic security interests.

    Today’s major new sanctions package [16 June], expected to be announced later this morning, will choke Russia’s war effort across multiple fronts.

    It will directly target Russia’s illicit shadow fleet and finance networks used to circumvent western sanctions and support military procurement. 

    The UK is expected to also be the first mover on sanctioning several Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels moving sanctioned Russian LNG.

    This package is expected to bring UK sanctioned shadow fleet and Russian LNG vessels to more than 600.

    The new measures are also expected to expose and target a Russian state linked network, involved in covertly procuring western technology for Russia’s military, as well as closing in on several third country suppliers helping Russia to illegally move money around the world.

  • Luke Pollard – 2026 Statement on the Government’s Defence Investment Plan

    Luke Pollard – 2026 Statement on the Government’s Defence Investment Plan

    The statement made by Luke Pollard, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, in the House of Commons on 15 June 2026.

    Before I turn to the matter before us, the whole House will want to join me in recognising the remarkable work of our armed forces this weekend. In the channel, UK forces bordered a sanctioned vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet to disrupt the flow of funds to Putin’s illegal war in the Ukraine. The Defence Secretary will be making a statement on that shortly.

    These are extraordinary times for defence. The threats are real and they are increasing. It is no secret that I worked in lockstep with the former Defence Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough (John Healey). He is a friend and mentor. I was his deputy and I am still standing at the Dispatch Box because he asked me to stay and because we need continuity in this complex and difficult operational environment.

    The DIP will be published before the NATO summit. Do we need to spend more on defence? Yes. Do the Prime Minister and the Chancellor agree with that? Yes. Are we spending more? Yes. This year the defence budget is £11 billion more than it was in the final year under the Conservatives. Are we learning the lessons from Ukraine? Yes. Are we retiring old kit to invest in new capabilities? Yes. Are we backing our people? Yes, with the biggest pay rise in 20 years and a £9 billion plan to fix the defence housing crisis that we inherited. It is working: intake is up 11.6%, outflow is down 8.9%, and morale is up.

    To answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question directly: if asked to fight tonight, could our forces defend the UK? Yes, and they already do every single day. Are we planning to increase their capabilities to deter and defend the UK and our allies? Yes, we are. Would I like to go further? Of course.

    The new Defence Secretary has stepped up to serve, as he has done before, sleeves rolled up and determined to meet the moment to get defence the best deal. Let me say plainly that I know the Prime Minister is committed to do so as well. He said in Munich:

    “To meet the wider threat, it is clear that we are going to have to spend more faster.”

    And at the weekend, he said

    “3% in the next Parliament…defence will be the number one priority at every spending review, including the next spending review.”

    The disagreement in recent weeks was never about whether we should fund our forces; it was about how fast we increase the spending for defence and on what capabilities. That is a serious argument to have—I make no apology for pushing hard within the Government to win it, because that is the job. But the job is also a team sport, and that is why the Ministry of Defence, with the new Defence Secretary, is working with the Treasury, other Government Departments and No. 10 to get this right.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2026 Comments on Social Media Ban for Children

    Sadiq Khan – 2026 Comments on Social Media Ban for Children

    The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 15 June 2026.

    A ban on social media for under-16s is the right step to protect young people and one I’ve called for.

    But bans only treat the symptom, not the problem.

    Social media companies need to re-imagine their platforms so they can offer a safe and healthy environment for all users, where restricting access wouldn’t be necessary.

    There’s nothing inevitable about algorithms which feed us a diet of dangerous content. Londoners deserve platforms which prioritise people, not just profit.

  • Ed Davey – 2026 Comments on Vladimir Putin Ordering an Arson Attack on Keir Starmer

    Ed Davey – 2026 Comments on Vladimir Putin Ordering an Arson Attack on Keir Starmer

    The comments made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, on 15 June 2026.

    It looks as though Vladimir Putin may have ordered an arson attack against the British Prime Minister last year.

    That is an incredibly serious escalation and shows why we must redouble our efforts with Ukraine and the rest of Europe to resist and deter Putin’s aggression.

  • Liz Kendall – 2026 Statement on Children and Social Media

    Liz Kendall – 2026 Statement on Children and Social Media

    The statement made by Liz Kendall, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on 15 June 2026.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, today marks a defining moment for our children, and future generations.

    As we lay the foundations for a new settlement for the online world.

    To ensure children have the best start in life.

    To give them freedom to be children again.

    And so we put power back into parents’ hands.

    Up and down the country parents are grappling with social media.

    What their children are seeing. How much screen time they should have. Who they are communicating with. And if they are safe.

    Many children love connecting and interacting on social media. But others struggle with their mental health, concentration and self-esteem.

    And the police, children’s charities and far too many tragically bereaved families have seen for themselves the serious risks and harm social media brings.

    While these concerns are widely shared, there are different, often strongly held views about the best way forward.

    That is why we launched our consultation on growing up in the online world, to make sure everyone’s voices were heard.

    The response has been overwhelming.

    We’ve had 116,000 replies. Including 54,000 from parents and 14,000 from children.

    We’ve heard from charities, teachers’ organisations, the police and medical professionals.

    And from countless members of Parliament too.

    Not only the Science and Technology and Education Select Committees, but individual Members including the Hon Members for Plymouth Moor View, Croydon East, Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Dollar and so, so many more besides.

    The progress report we publish today sets out lots of different perspectives.

    But overwhelmingly our consultation showed parents and children are concerned about what they’re being exposed to online.

    Harmful content. Content that is completely inappropriate for their age. Abuse and exploitation. They are worried about the impact on sleep, school, children’s physical health, and their emotional wellbeing too. 

    Above all, parents are crying out for change.

    9 out of 10 who responded to the consultation told us they want an outright ban on social media.

    As did three quarters in our large-scale representative survey and 113,000 parents who signed Daisy and Joe’s Smartphone Free Childhood petition.

    Keeping children safe online has been my top priority since day one in this job.

    I’ve listened to calls, especially from bereaved families, that we need to act as quickly as possible.

    So today I can announce our first steps, with more to come next month.

    And I can confirm, we will ban social media companies providing their services to under 16s.

    And we are doing this to give greater protections to children.

    Greater clarity for parents and carers.

    And to set a new social norm for future generations.

    My intention is to lay regulations on a ban, and have a vote on it, by the end of this year.

    With the ban coming into effect early 2027.

    We plan to use the same model as Australia, covering:

    User-to-user platforms that allow users to post material, alongside algorithms.

    So our ban will include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.

    Because we want to make sure we don’t include educational services, e-commerce platforms or music streaming, there will be a narrowly defined list of exemptions. Which we will of course keep under review.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, I have also listened to parents to civil society and to many MPs in this House, including the Members for Putney, Lowestoft, Congleton, and Newcastle upon Tyne about the need to go further.

    So I can today announce our first steps in restricting a wider range of features and functions that create risks for young people.

    Because it can open the door to vile child abuse, we will ban livestreaming for under 16s across all platforms.

    And we will ban communication with strangers, including in gaming, to stop paedophiles meeting and grooming children.

    And Madam Deputy Speaker we are not stopping there.

    AI chatbots are a top concern of parents who responded to our consultation, particularly those that mimic intimate relationships and exploit vulnerabilities.

    The Children’s Commissioner, and my Hon Friends the Members for Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Central, have also raised this issue.

    So today Britain is becoming the first country in the world to ban chatbots that offer sexualised content to under 18s.

    And we will restrict this functionality on general purpose chatbots too.

    We know there are also really serious concerns about other AI chatbots, like therapy apps.

    But I recognise that some of these may have benefits, so I am working closely with the Department of Health, and others, to assess the evidence.

    And I will come back to the House on this issue – and wider measures on AI chatbots – in a further statement next month.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, we also want to address concerns about a “cliff edge” when you turn 16 – an age when many young people should be especially focused on their futures, and on exams.

    So I can today announce live streaming, and stranger communication including in gaming, will be switched off by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.

    I am also strongly minded to bring in default overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for 16- and 17-year-olds.

    And I will set out further details once our pilot schemes are finished in my next statement in July.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, I know that not everybody supports a ban.

    I have listened carefully to these concerns and want to take each in turn.

    First, we’ve seen in Australia that many children will try and succeed in getting around a ban. That is inevitable when social media has been such an integral part of their lives.

    So we will introduce more highly effective age assurance measures to better support compliance, and I have asked Ofcom to share proposals on these within months.

    However, I want to be clear to parents, and to members of this House, that our ban is as much about helping future generations and resetting social norms in future, as it is about young people today.

    Second, people worry that a ban would push children onto riskier, less regulated sites.

    This is something I really take extremely seriously.

    So I have had a long conversation with and written to Ofcom and the new chair to stress, once again, that enforcement of both the Online Safety Act and our new ban must be a top priority.

    That they must focus rigorously on this, including riskier sites.

    And to ask for an urgent review of whether Ofcom has the right capabilities in place.

    I have also asked them to publish a clear enforcement strategy and an annual report to Parliament on how this strategy is progressing.

    Third, we must prepare children for the online world, which will inevitably be part of their lives.

    Now many schools are already doing this.

    But from September this year, every pupil across England will learn about social media in the classroom, including about AI and how to spot deepfakes.

    My department has also produced new advice for parents on how to talk to children about the online world called “you won’t know if you don’t ask”.  So schools and parents together, preparing children for the future.

    And last but by no means least, the NSPCC – and the Hon Members for Kettering, Hertford and Stortford and North West Cambridgeshire – have rightly raised the importance of ensuring all young people can access information, trusted support and exciting activities, especially if they’re no longer spending so much time online.

    And we are delivering on this too.

    The Education Secretary and Culture Secretary are expanding what’s on offer in every school and beyond the classroom, including in after school clubs, in the holidays and at weekends by support for a wide range of enrichment activities like art, music, sport, cooking, camping and museum visits.

    Things that were once only available for those who could afford them. Now for every pupil in England.

    And in stark contrast to Members opposite, who cut youth services by 75% we are investing £500m in our National Youth Strategy – “Youth Matters” – so children from all walks of life, wherever they live, can access youth services, sport and the arts.

    Madam Deputy speaker, my driving force, the reason I came into politics, has always been, and will always be, to give every child, from every background, the best possible start in life.

    Because that’s how they and our country succeed.

    Today we take a decisive step towards creating a safer, healthier life for our children and future generations.

    Giving children their childhood back.

    I am clear eyed about all the challenges social media brings – for adults as well as for children – and that technology constantly changes.

    So today’s announcement is not “one and done”, or the end of the story.

    There is still much more to do.

    But this is a landmark day.

    A day when we stand with parents, charities, bereaved families and all those who have campaigned for change.

    This is your moment.

    It is a day when we take power away from the tech giants – who have had countless opportunities to keep children safe and put it in back in parents’ hands.

    A day when we give our children the freedom to be children again.

    So they have the best possible start in life.

    And I commend this statement to the House.

  • PRESS RELEASE : LinkedIn and government join forces to help jobseekers build their careers [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : LinkedIn and government join forces to help jobseekers build their careers [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 15 June 2026.

    Thousands of jobseekers could be supported into a new career as the government joins forces with LinkedIn to bolster careers advice.

    • Landmark partnership between LinkedIn and the Government reflects that the ‘job for life’ has given way to career mobility.
    • Anonymised data from LinkedIn’s pool of 40 million UK accounts will help the DWP have the best possible data within the Jobs and Careers Service. 
    • This comes as government brings forward the biggest employment reforms in a generation with a particular focus on helping young people into work.   

    Thousands of jobseekers could be supported into a new career as the government joins forces with LinkedIn to bolster careers advice. 

    It will see timely anonymised data on jobs, skills, hiring and workforce movement shared with Skills England from LinkedIn’s network of 40 million UK accounts, giving the government a new way of viewing the labour market. 

    In the future this could be used by the new Jobs and Careers Service to provide jobseekers with more tailored advice on industry specific skills and career routes, helping them to reach their goals. 

    As the recent Skills England Annual Report found, a further 1.8 million extra jobs will be needed in priority sectors by 2035. The DWP will work with LinkedIn to map how people move between jobs, with the aim of helping people to widen their career options and businesses to look beyond traditional recruitment pools. 

    The landmark partnership with LinkedIn recognises the days of a job for life are increasingly rare. As Funding Circle has found, the average worker will go through seven jobs in their lifetime, with younger people more likely to change roles. This shows that having the right data on career paths and the skills necessary to follow them is more crucial than ever. 

    The DWP and Skills England are excited to explore how this data can be used and will explore a number of possibilities as our work with LinkedIn progresses.  

    An improved understanding of where there is a skills mismatch between local job adverts and the skills of the local population is our first priority for this work in order to inform new skills options and drive economic growth.  

    Young people in particular will benefit from this partnership as the government will gain a more detailed insight of the local workforce and how it is evolving.  

    Last week the Secretary of State Pat McFadden met with LinkedIn’s Blake Lawit, to mark this exciting new partnership. The partnership comes as the government takes forward the biggest employment reforms in a generation, including the creation of the new Jobs and Careers Service and a major drive backed by £2.5 billion investment to give every young person the chance to earn or learn. 

    Pat McFadden Secretary of State said: 

    We know young people today are far less likely than previous generations to stay in the same career for life, which is why we must give them the tools to build a fulfilling, lasting career path.  

    This partnership with LinkedIn will give us a clearer understanding of the jobs market – what employers need, where opportunities are, and how people are building their careers, in order to boost economic growth.  

    Together with our £2.5 billion youth employment support package, we are making sure that every young person across the country has the chance to earn or learn.

    Phil Smith, Chair of Skills England, said:  

    I’m really excited about this partnership. LinkedIn has become such a hub for businesses that are recruiting and people on the look-out for jobs.  

    The resulting insights from their anonymised data will be incredibly valuable to Skills England and the new Jobs and Careers Service – particularly when it comes to identifying local skills gaps and helping young people to fill them.  

    We’re looking forward to joining forces to make a major difference.

    Blake Lawit, Chief Global Affairs & Legal Officer of LinkedIn: 

    Today’s careers are increasingly shaped by skills, adaptability, and continuous learning.  

    Professionals entering the workforce now are on pace to hold twice as many jobs over their careers compared to 15 years ago. As people navigate more career transitions, access to timely labour market insights is more important than ever.  

    We’re proud to be supporting the UK Government’s efforts to better understand workforce trends, close talent gaps, and help more people find their next opportunity faster.

    Additional Information

    No individual-level member data will be shared with DWP. 

    LinkedIn has a database of 40 million accounts which includes students, retirees and working people recognise the UK as their professional home. 

    To protect the privacy of LinkedIn’s members, data will be collected within LinkedIn’s existing systems, with anonymised findings shared with Skills England. insight into how many people are employed, how they’re working. 

    Skills England will lead on this partnership on behalf of DWP, with officials already working to begin the initial phase of the project.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 62 – UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Eritrea [June 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 62 – UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Eritrea [June 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 June 2026.

    UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Eritrea. Delivered at the 62nd Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    The UK thanks the Special Rapporteur for his update and for his work throughout his tenure. We are disappointed that the Eritrean Government continues to refuse to engage with this mandate.     

    We welcome the release of some of those held in arbitrary detention for political or religious reasons. However, many more remain detained in inhumane conditions, and we encourage the Eritrean Government to extend these releases.   

    The system of indefinite national service has a suffocating impact on the lives of Eritreans, especially young people, and has contributed to mass emigration including to the UK. It requires urgent reform.  

    We support the report’s recommendations, including the call for the implementation of Eritrea’s Constitution.  

    Special Rapporteur,  as you reflect on the past 6 years of your tenure, where do you see the most realistic opportunities for progress as you hopefully hand the baton to a successor?

  • Peter Kyle – 2026 Comments on Rolls-Royce SMR Winning a Contract

    Peter Kyle – 2026 Comments on Rolls-Royce SMR Winning a Contract

    The comments made by Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, on 15 June 2026.

    I’m unashamedly backing British business on the world stage and that’s why I went to Stockholm earlier this year to champion this partnership, and it’s great to see Government’s effort paying off. 

    This is a major vote of confidence in Rolls-Royce SMR and the UK’s world‑leading civil nuclear sector — showing that, thanks to our Modern Industrial Strategy, Britain is the partner of choice for the next generation of clean energy. 

    At a time of global instability, this deal strengthens Europe’s energy security while creating jobs, driving investment and growing our supply chains at home and with partners like Sweden — backing British industry to deliver clean, reliable power for decades to come.

  • Ellie Reeves – 2026 Comments on Sentencing of Vickrum Digwa

    Ellie Reeves – 2026 Comments on Sentencing of Vickrum Digwa

    The comments made by Ellie Reeves, the Solicitor General, on 15 June 2026.

    This case horrified me, and I know that feeling is shared by the British public. It is right that difficult questions need to be answered about the way the police handled Henry’s Nowak’s murder, while my role is to review Digwa’s sentence for his crimes.

    After careful consideration, I have taken the decision to refer this case to the Court of Appeal.

    No sentence can ever undo the devastation that Henry’s family have suffered, or fill the void left by his loss. But I hope this referral goes some way towards bringing them the justice they deserve.