Labour quango set up to enforce new Employment Rights Act hires staff to work FOUR-DAY weeks

Alice Tomlinson
Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:39:00 +0000

A Labour quango who has been set-up to enforce the new Employment Rights Act is hiring staff to work four-day weeks.

The Fair Work Agency, is "responsible for enforcing workers' rights" and are the "single point of contact for workers who believe their rights have not been upheld", according to Gov.uk.

Launched today, the agency will enforce the new Employment Rights Act - lead by the Department of Business and Trade - which has been incrementally coming into effect since February 18.

The newly formed watchdog is hiring high-up positions with the offer of four-day weeks, Guido Fawkes reports.

In a now-closed job advertisement for the agency's Head of HR, the job description offered £80,538 for an “inspiring and forward-thinking Head of Human Resources to shape the people culture of a new organisation".

Not only was the salary appealing, the Government offered the role as a four-day working week, writing: "Part time working hours are available for this role. We can accept part time applicants who can commit to working a minimum of 30 hours over 4 days per week."

This offer means the new HR chief would work 7.5 hours a day, which is less than what the private and public sectors work across five days.

Already the Fair Work Agency has come under fire, with union leaders warning its a "dead duck" as the regulator's incoming chair, Matthew Taylor, described one of its priorities as "reducing regulatory burdens", reports the Guardian.

Ed Davey calls for US to be banned from using UK bases for strikes on Iran

Sir Ed Davey has warned the UK will become an "accomplice to war crimes" as he called for the US to be banned from using British bases for strikes on Iran.

The Liberal Democrat leader said: "President Trump's explicit threats to target civilian infrastructure in Iran signal a clear intent to breach international law.

"This places the UK government in a perilous position. We cannot allow British soil to be used as a platform for illegal military action.

"If the Government refuses to act, they must at the very least publish the strict conditions permitting this access to ensure it is only defensive, commit to monitoring every action and report their findings to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee."

Meanwhile, Green leader Zack Polanski said: "It's now been three hours since our supposed 'ally' Donald Trump threatened genocide on a country of 93 million people. We've had absolutely nothing from the UK government.

"This doesn't come in a vacuum either, every day the US & Israel have been murdering innocent people.

"Of course speaking out is necessary but not sufficient. But its the very least we should expect our government to be doing. It's time to suspend all US military from UK soil. And the clock is ticking."

Rising proportion of British adults oppose resident doctor strikes

A rising proportion of British adults oppose resident doctor strikes, a new survey suggests.

New YouGov polling found that 55 per cent of British adults oppose resident doctors going on strike.

Some 37 per cent said they support the action, according to the poll of 4,385 adults in Great Britain.

Similar polling in March revealed that 53 per cent of of the public opposes the action and 38 per cent said they support it.

WATCH: Zia Yusuf on Donald Trump's 'total destruction' Iran threat

Zia Yusuf has weighed in on President Donald Trump’s myriad of threats to Iran, including warnings that the US could destroy critical civilian infrastructure in the Islamic Republic.

Speaking to GB News this morning, Reform UK's home affairs spokesman issued a caution to Washington to avoid “mass human suffering”.

Mr Trump repeated threats to "unleash hell" on Iran's critical infrastructure on Monday, including against "every bridge" and "every power plant".

Zack Polanski calls on Keir Starmer to 'suspend US bases'

Zack Polanski has called on Sir Keir Starmer to "suspend all US bases" as he issued a scathing rant against the Prime Minister.

The Green Party leader said: "We're on the verge of a genocidal, nuclear war that our supposed 'ally' has said he's ready to unleash.

"Would it be too much to ask for the Prime Minister to have something to say about it? Or do?"

Nigel Farage says Donald Trump has gone 'way too far'

Nigel Farage has said Donald Trump has gone "way too far" over his threat to wipe out "a whole civilisation".

After being read the President's words from his Truth Social post, Mr Farage said: "I am quite shocked just to hear that. That is over the top in every single way. Yes of course he wants to threaten, to get them to the negotiating table. But those words are...they ‘re way too far."

Asked if the post was befitting of someone holding the office of the US president, the Reform leader answered: "He’s an upset, angry American president.

"He’s wholly unconventional but I would remind you of what Churchill said about the bombing of Germany during the war. Some quite extraordinary things were said there as well."

Keir Starmer welcomes decision to cancel Wireless Festival

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the decision to cancel the annual Wireless Festival after Kanye West was blocked from travelling to the UK.

The Prime Minister said: "Kanye West should never have been invited to headline Wireless.

"This Government stands firmly with the Jewish community, and we will not stop in our fight to confront and defeat the poison of antisemitism.

"We will always take the action necessary to protect the public and uphold our values."

Downing Street urges Donald Trump to step back from his apocalyptic threat to Iran

The UK has urged Donald Trump to step back from his threat to wipe out “a whole civilisation” as his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz drew closer.

President Trump has given Tehran until 1am on Wednesday UK time to end its blockade of the strait or face obliteration.

Downing Street reiterated its position that the UK remained focused on pursuing a diplomatic solution to the conflict, but Mr Trump showed no sign of softening his stance as the US-Israeli bombing campaign pressed on.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the President issued a stark warning, saying: "A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again.

"I don't want that to happen, but it probably will."

Kanye West BLOCKED from entering UK as 'presence would not be conducive to public good' amid Wireless row

Kanye West has been blocked from entering the UK ahead of his controversial Wireless Festival headline stint.

The hip-hop artist has been prevented from entering the UK on the grounds that his "presence would not be conducive to public good".

The decision comes just hours after Mr West issued a statement addressing the furore surrounding his spot at the festival following a series of antisemitic social media posts last year.

The news may come as a surprise to some after Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic, which promotes Wireless Festival, said Mr West had been granted visa status in the "last few days".

FOLLOW THE STORY HERE.

Kanye West blocked from entering UK, according to reports

Kanye West has been blocked from UK, on grounds his presence would not be conducive to public good, according to reports.

Currently there is no Government statement, but a BBC reporter announced this on X.

'All options remain on the table' regarding Kanye West, says Downing Street

Downing Street has said “all options remain on the table” and decisions are taken “in line with the law” as the Home Office reviews Kanye West’s permission to enter the UK to perform at Wireless Festival this summer.

Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said Mr West's "permission to enter the UK is under review”.

“As we speak, all available options remain on the table.”

He added Mr West’s “previous comments have been appalling”.

The spokesman said: “Clearly, decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in line with the law and the evidence available.

“But where individuals pose a threat to public safety or seek to spread extremism, the Government has not hesitated to act.”

'Bans are a slippery slope' - Nigel Farage would not bar Kanye West from entering UK

The leader of Reform, Nigel Farage, said that whilst he "wouldn't buy a ticket" to Wireless festival, he would not ban Kanye West from entering the UK.

He said banning people entering the country based on something they've said, as long as it does not incite direct violence, is a "slippery slope".

Migrant crisis is national security threat, says Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage, addressing the press in Warwickshire, said that whilst the migrant crisis might pose a threat to women and girls in the UK, he said it also poses a bigger national security threat.

He said that if even one per cent of those who arrive in the UK on a small boat have "Isis sympathies", this could pose a major security threat.

The leader of Reform UK, said: "We are clearly are not protecting the country and its citizens

"Do not underestimate the public upset and and anger over this issue."

'When is the next murder?' - murdered Rhiannon Whyte's mother demands change on small boat crisis

Nigel Farage was joined on stage by Donna Whyte, the mother of Rhiannon Whyte, who was murdered by asylum seeker, Deng Chol Majek.

Ms Whyte demanded that the small boats issue must stop, candidly sharing what her daughter's last moments must of been like and how her murderer has not shown any remorse at all.

She said that ultimately, she blames "Starmer and the British Government" for her daughter's death.

Mr Farage emphasised this sentiment, he said: "Frankly the people who are ultimately guilty of Rihannon Whyte's murder is the British Government."

'Major security concerns' - Nigel Farage addresses the ongoing illegal migrant crisis

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK has addressed the illegal migration issue in a press conference in Warwickshire.

He said that 200,000 people have entered the UK on small boats so far, which 5,000 of that coming in this year.

Mr Farage said he had mentioned the issue to Sir Keir Starmer, after the deal with the France had expired, to which the Prime Minister was unable to give a comprehensive "Plan B".

Student loan repayment changes confirmed after Rachel Reeves faced mounting pressure

Labour has confirmed that interest rates on Plan 2 and Plan 3 student loans will be capped at a maximum of six per cent from September 1, replacing the existing formula of the Retail Prices Index (RPI) plus three per cent.

The temporary change will apply for the 2026 to 2027 academic year and affect students and graduates in England and Wales.

Ministers said the move was driven by concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could push inflation higher through increased oil prices.

Officials stated that graduates should not face higher borrowing costs as a result of global instability beyond the UK’s control.

FOLLOW THE UNFOLDING STORY HERE.

HMRC splurges £43k on Snapchat filters while Britons endure record high tax burden

HMRC has come under fire for spending “staggering” amounts of money on Snapchat filters while Britons face down a record high tax burden.

Critics have accused the taxman of spending tens of thousands of pounds from the public purse on "PR stunts" and not treating hardworking Britons' money with respect.

Data obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the Taxpayers' Alliance shows that £43,029 was paid to Snapchat for the filters.

Since 2024, the Government has spent more than half a million pounds on social media influencers, hiring 89 in 2024 and 126 in 2025 to appeal to a young audience on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

DWP pays £850million to dead claimants in benefits error as Reform UK slams 'appalling' scandal

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has paid out £850million in benefits to deceased individuals since 2021.

The payments stem from approximately 2.6 million separate errors, involving a combination of mental health support, unemployment benefits and the state pension.

Fewer than half of the overpayments have been recovered, raising concerns about the department’s ability to safeguard public funds.

The figures, obtained by The Telegraph, place renewed pressure on Pat McFadden, who is responsible for overseeing welfare spending and ensuring that incorrect payments are reclaimed where possible.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

'Over-promoted student politicians' - Zia Yusuf slams Labour party for mishandling doctors' union demands

Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's immigration spokesman told GB News the resident doctors' strike is "not appropriate".

He said that whilst the Labour Government have mishandled the negotiations with the British Medical Association (BMA), calling them "over-promoted student politicians" who are "very very bad at negotiating", there are deeper issues in healthcare to which this strike is merely a symptom.

Mr Yusuf referred to the cap on homegrown medical students as "beyond insane" and called for more training places for resident doctors, to which they are currently severely oversubscribed.

The scale of demand for NHS training places has come into sharp focus, with nearly 50,000 doctors competing for fewer than 13,000 spots in 2025-26 alone.

'UK is not an ATM for ethnic grievances of the past' - Robert Jenrick stands behind Reform's latest visa announcement

Robert Jenrick, Reform UK's Treasury spokesman, has weighed in on Reform UK's latest policy announcement - Nigel Farage will block visa requests from any country demanding slavery reparations from the UK.

The MP for Newark took to social media this morning to show his support for the policy, writing: "A Reform government would block visas for any country demanding slavery ‘reparations’.

"The UK is not an ATM for ethnic grievances of the past."

The BMA is 'mugging us off' - Matt Vickers addresses resident doctors' strikes

Matt Vickers, Shadow Crime Minister, told GB News this morning that the British Medical Association is "mugging us off".

Addressing the six day resident doctors' strike which started today, Mr Vickers said: "If you start throwing money at every union that kicks off, they start coming out and kicking off more often."

He explained that if in power, the Conservatives would reinstate "minimum service legislation", which was previously implemented in 2023, which gives the Government the power to set minimum levels of service that must be maintained during strikes - essentially, even if workers strike, a baseline level of service must continue.

The MP for Stockton West continued, saying the Tories would ban resident doctors from striking in the same way the police, armed forces and prison guards are.

Kanye West should not be allowed in UK let alone play at festivals, says Shadow Crime Minister

The Shadow Crime Minister Matt Vickers said to GB News this morning that Kanye West should not allowed into the UK, let alone be allowed to play at Wireless Festival this summer.

He said the Jewish Community is subject to "ridiculous levels" of hatred and abuse at the moment and allowing the rapper to play at the festival would be sending out the wrong message.

The Shadow Crime Minister said: "We need to get really serious about this."

WATCH: Health Secretary Wes Streeting rages at the resident doctors' latest strike to GB News

The Health Secretary spoke to GB News this morning, calling the six day strike organised by the British Medical Association as the "height of hypocrisy".

'It takes two to tango' - West Streeting slams the resident doctor strike which kicks off today

Speaking to GB News this morning, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We expected, not unreasonably, that after a 28.9 per cent pay rise and the promise of further progress in the years to follow, that the BMA would be a reasonable negotiating partner.

“But I’m afraid what we have seen, I think, particularly in the last few months, is that these people will get around the table, negotiate apparently in good faith, the BMA officers who we are negotiating with promised to take the deal that we negotiated to their committee, to recommend it to their committee, and then their committee rejected it, despite there being a 4.9 per cent average pay rise, the training places, the scrapping of exam fees, action on pay and jobs that they were calling for.

“And so in the end, there is only so much that we can do as the Government, because it takes two to tango.

“Extraordinarily, the BMA didn’t even put this deal to their members to vote on.

“So now I’ve got resident doctors writing to me saying, ‘I’m really disappointed, I can’t believe these 1,000 training places that were going to open this month have gone. Why are you doing this?’ And the answer is simple, I’m not doing this at all.

“The Government offered those training places. The BMA rejected them.

“The BMA seemed to think that they can reject a deal, go on strike, and they still get the benefits of the deal. And I’m sorry, but that is just not going to happen.”

What is happening in UK politics today?

Good morning and welcome to the GB News Politics blog. Here's what is happening in Westminster and beyond today...

Resident doctors begin six days of strike action in their long-running pay dispute with the Government. Health Secretary Wes Streeting joined us this morning - write up to follow.

The Government is also announcing two new measures to tackle knife crime today, including a £1.2million investment in specialist training in schools and a £26million surge in police operations targeting knife crime hotspots.

Reform UK's Nigel Farage holds what is billed as an "important" press conference this afternoon in Warwickshire, we'll bring you the details as they emerge.

And pressure is mounting on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to ban Kanye West from entering the UK to headline Wireless Festival, with Sir Keir Starmer calling the booking "deeply concerning".

On GB News this morning, we'll be hearing from Shadow Crime Minister Matt Vickers and Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's Home Affairs Spokesperson.

Stay tuned for all things politics.