Britain's unemployment rate has risen for the first time in 16 months, official data showed Wednesday (22), in a sign that Brexit uncertainty is feeding into the wider economy.
The jobless rate - or the proportion of the workforce that is unemployed - stood at 4.4 percent in the three months to the end of December, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement.
That was up from 4.3 percent in the quarter to November 2017, which had been the lowest level in 42 years.
Analysts said that Wednesday's data reduced the likelihood that the Bank of England would raise its main interest rate in May, as had been widely expected by markets.
"The latest labour market data aren't a decisive blow to the chances of a May rate hike -- two more (jobless) reports will be published before then -- but they do reduce the odds," said Samuel Tombs, economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Prior to the data, markets had widely expected the Bank of England to raise its key lending rate in May, by a quarter-point to 0.75 percent, following a small hike last year.
"While stubbornly high inflation and signs of higher wage growth have increased the perceived likelihood of rates rising again, it's clear that policymakers will tread a cautious line amid the heightened uncertainty facing the UK economy as Brexit worries dominate," said IHS Markit economist, Chris Williamson.
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FILE PHOTO: A general view shows British Steel's Scunthorpe plant, in Scunthorpe, northern England, Britain, March 31, 2025. REUTERS/Dominic Lipinski
The FBU is planning to introduce new internal policies and wants the TUC to take action as well. (Representational image: iStock)
FBU chief raises concern over rise in racist online posts by union members
THE FIRE Brigades Union (FBU) and other trade unions are increasingly concerned about a rise in racist and bigoted online comments by their own members and officials, according to Steve Wright, the FBU’s new general secretary, speaking to the Guardian.
Wright said internal inquiries have revealed dozens of cases involving members using racist slurs or stereotypes, often aimed at asylum seekers.
He said similar issues were reported in other unions, prompting a joint campaign to counter false narratives around immigration and race promoted by far-right groups online.
“People with far-right views are becoming more brazen in what they do on social media, and I’ve witnessed it with my own union around disciplinary cases and the rhetoric of some of our own members,” Wright said to the newspaper.
He added, “Some of our members and sometimes our reps have openly made comments which are racist and bigoted. In my time in the fire service, that has gone up.”
The FBU is planning to introduce new internal policies and wants the TUC to take action as well. A formal statement addressing far-right narratives will be launched at the union’s annual conference in Blackpool next month.
Wright cited the influence of social media and figures like Donald Trump and Nigel Farage as factors contributing to these incidents. “It feels like an itch that we’ve got to scratch,” he said.
The FBU barred a former official last year for allegedly endorsing racist content on X, including posts from Britain First and Tommy Robinson.
Wright also warned that the union could strike if the government moves to cut frontline fire services.