Politics

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The debate over net migration has returned to the centre of British politics following fresh academic findings. A new study suggests that efforts to train more domestic workers may not significantly reduce net migration levels. The research, produced by the University of Oxford’s Migration Observatory, questions whether stricter rules on employers will deliver the intended outcome. It finds...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online In the former mining villages of east Durham, residents express deep frustration and despair over decades of economic decline, unfulfilled political promises and failed regeneration — sentiments encapsulated in the stark plea from one local: “Just push us into the sea.” The BBC’s social affairs team paints a vivid picture of communities feeling abandoned by successive governments, grappling...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The UK Conservative Party has called for a pause and fundamental rethink of the government’s extensive plans to renovate the Houses of Parliament, amid growing concern over soaring costs, long timescales and value‑for‑money issues. The move, confirmed by party leader Kemi Badenoch, marks a significant political challenge to the current restoration project and underscores wider debates about public...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online In a significant policy announcement on Wednesday, the populist political party Reform UK pledged that it would retain the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) — the United Kingdom’s independent fiscal watchdog — if it wins power in the next general election, aiming to reassure financial markets and the business community. The broadcaster BBC reported the development today as...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online British police are reviewing information about private flights into and out of London Stansted Airport after the release of millions of documents connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The development has triggered renewed scrutiny over whether some of these flights were used to traffic women and girls into the United Kingdom...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online US talk show host Stephen Colbert has claimed that CBS declined to air an interview with a Democratic politician due to concerns about possible scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to a report by BBC. Colbert, who hosts The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, told his audience that a pre-recorded segment featuring a member of the...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez finds herself navigating a perilous political tightrope after the dramatic ouster and capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in January. With U.S. pressure under President Donald Trump intense and expectations high for cooperation, Rodríguez appears to be using a blend of domestic and diplomatic levers to maintain power and avoid becoming a...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The long-anticipated Norfolk devolution deal has dramatically unravelled after a bitter dispute over postponed local elections. The collapse follows a sharp reversal by the UK government, which abandoned earlier plans to delay elections in areas undergoing restructuring. At the centre of the row stands Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, who announced that her authority would...

Published: 18 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A former US Army sergeant has vividly recalled how civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson played a pivotal role in securing his freedom and that of two fellow soldiers who were held as prisoners of war (POWs) during the Kosovo conflict in 1999, highlighting a lesser-known chapter of Jackson’s legacy beyond civil rights activism. The soldier’s tribute comes...

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The right‑wing Reform UK party has taken a high‑profile political step by naming Robert Jenrick as its pick for chancellor of the Exchequer — or “shadow chancellor” — in its proposed government team ahead of the next UK general election. The announcement came as leader Nigel Farage unveiled a lineup of senior figures intended to show voters that...