UK News

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A major new report has warned that free university tuition in Scotland could be at risk if the government does not find ways to boost revenue and rethink public spending priorities, as funding advantages relative to England continue to narrow. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) — a respected economic think tank — says Scotland’s ability to sustain...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The Metropolitan Police has stepped up its fight against mobile phone theft in London by deploying electric bikes (e‑bikes), drones and cutting‑edge technology to track and arrest thieves, amid a major crackdown on organised criminal gangs responsible for stealing thousands of phones across the capital. Met officers have been engaging in what authorities describe as the largest‑ever blitz...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The future of the UK border project has been thrown into uncertainty after ministers halted a £110 million digital border scheme designed to ease post-Brexit trade friction. The ambitious UK border project was originally presented as a central pillar of Britain’s independent trade policy following departure from the European Union. Yet after years of delays, mounting costs and...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The UK unemployment rate has climbed to 5.2%, marking its highest level in nearly five years and signalling fresh pressure across Britain’s labour market. The latest figures confirm that the UK unemployment rate has risen steadily since 2022, while wage growth continues to cool. Economists now believe the changing UK unemployment rate may influence the next interest rate...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A Woolwich Crown Court jury has found three teenagers guilty of manslaughter in the death of a 49-year-old man who they lured to a beach in Kent in a tragic case that has shocked communities and sparked debate about youth violence. The victim, Alexander Cashford, was killed on 10 August 2025 in Leysdown-on-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A fresh wave of Arctic air has pushed temperatures across the United Kingdom below freezing this week, triggering a series of weather warnings for snow, ice and hazardous conditions as winter grips the nation once again. Mother Nature’s chill has been felt far and wide, from the Scottish Highlands to northern England, Northern Ireland and parts of Wales,...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Nigel Farage is preparing a significant announcement within Reform UK, signalling a reshuffle that could redefine the party’s economic strategy. At the centre of this move stands Robert Jenrick, who is expected to be unveiled as Reform Chancellor in a bold political step. The decision, if confirmed, would place the former Conservative cabinet minister in charge of shaping...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A nine-year-old boy has become the first person in the UK to undergo a pioneering surgical procedure designed to make him taller, in a breakthrough many experts hope will transform treatment for children with certain growth conditions. The operation was carried out at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, where specialists used an innovative magnetic technique to lengthen...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A 51‑year‑old woman in Glasgow has been convicted of fraud after defrauding her elderly aunt of more than £300,000 to fund the creation of a luxury gym inside a former church, court officials said. Margaret Cassidy misappropriated a total of £317,475 from her 89‑year‑old aunt, Elizabeth Murphy, between December 2020 and January 2022, according to prosecutors. Cassidy used...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Former Conservative Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick is reportedly set to take on the role of Treasury spokesman for Reform UK, marking a high-profile addition to the party’s economic team and signalling its ambitions to position itself as a serious contender in national fiscal policy debates. Sources close to the party say the announcement will be made in the...