Lord Blunkett: ‘Give young people a hand up, not a hand out’

The government needs to give young people a ‘hand up, not a hand out’, according to former work and pensions secretary Lord Blunkett. Speaking at the Social Mobility Commission’s annual symposium yesterday (23 June), the former Labour cabinet minister called for the new prime minister to cut through the “inertia” in systems that are preventing

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AI law firm wins case as lawyers call for guidance

An AI-driven law firm has successfully sued a hospitality business over unpaid fees to a freelance HR consultant. Garfield AI, which became the first AI law firm to be approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) last year, was instructed to draft legal letters and submit a case for Tamires Camal Taquidir. The case was

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Pay awards remain stable but employers cautious for future

Businesses are keeping a tight hold on pay budgets amid ongoing concerns about political uncertainty and inflation, according to the latest predictions from Brightmine. The median basic pay award for the three months to May and year to May was 3.2%, with most pay deals clustering between 3% and 4%, it said. More than half

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Industrial action: All ‘detriments’ to be prohibited

The government has announced that any ‘detriment’ suffered by striking workers will be prohibited under reforms in the Employment Rights Act 2025, rather than ministers creating a prescribed list of prohibited disadvantages. The Department for Business and Trade has now published its response to the consultation it launched in February, and has chosen its preferred

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What would Andy Burnham as PM mean for employers?

After Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as Labour Party leader, and an expectation that Andy Burnham’s will be prime minister within weeks, what would a government led by the former mayor of Manchester mean for employers? With Wes Streeting now backing Andy Burnham, and only a slim possibility that any other Labour MP would garner the

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Shifting the blame for the skills crisis achieves nothing

Four in 10 employers provide no training. Rather than blaming universities for not producing work-ready graduates, should businesses reconsider their own role in skilling up the workforce, asks Dr Fadime Sahin? As universities face relentless pressure over graduate employability, the government’s own data tells a different and more troubling story: employer investment in workplace development

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