Worries about the British economy have long been dominated by one persistent concern – weak productivity. Since the financial crisis of 2008, growth has stagnated, leaving the UK trailing well behind the US, France and Germany across that whole period.

One familiar response to this problem is to suggest that if the British workforce could somehow produce more in less time, prosperity would follow and all would be well. New technology, particularly AI, is often presented as the solution.

The UK government certainly seems to like the idea, placing AI and technological innovation at the centre of plans to boost economic performance. At a speech to business leaders on March 17, chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves promised £2.5 billion of investment in AI and quantum computing to get things moving.

But what if productivity is not the problem we should be solving?

Increasing the country’s “output per hour” – the unit by which productivity is measured – does not necessarily make work more secure, more fairly rewarded or more socially useful. And nor does it make the UK more economically resilient.

In fact, it can do the opposite. Prioritising efficiency to boost productivity – by cutting costs and relying on tightly configured supply chains – can make economic systems extremely fragile.

Productivity problem

The problem with focusing too much on productivity is most obvious in some of the sectors that are central to our day-to-day lives. The effectiveness of care work, healthcare and education, for example, all depend on human interaction.

But teaching a class, caring for an elderly person or treating a patient require time, attention and professional judgment, making it difficult to increase “output” in the same way as in more automated sectors. There are limits to how much faster a nurse or teacher can work without undermining the quality of what they do.

Economists have long recognised that services which depend on human interaction – referred to as being “labour intensive” – face limits to productivity growth, because many of the tasks involved cannot be significantly sped up or automated without affecting quality.

This dynamic is referred to as “Baumol’s cost disease” – an economic theory which shows that costs will inevitably rise over time in labour-intensive sectors, despite little or no productivity growth.

Yet these sectors are essential to long-term social wellbeing and economic stability. They sustain everyone’s health, skills and security.

Another issue with increasing productivity comes down to the fact that for quite some time, the UK economy has been heavily weighted towards areas like finance, education and the creative industries. Manufacturing plays a much smaller role.

But in manufacturing, technological improvements can translate more directly into higher output per worker. This is what happens when industrial robots automate assembly-line tasks, allowing a single worker to oversee machines producing far more units than manual labour alone could achieve.

In contrast, much of the work undertaken in the UK, from management to care, depends on interaction, judgment and time. Its value is real but not easily measured.

The UK is therefore trying to solve a productivity problem in sectors where productivity is inherently difficult to define and improve.

Alternatives to output

This in turn points to a broader issue. The future of work is not just about how much we produce, but about how work is organised, how its rewards are shared, and how it fits into the rest of life.

None of this means productivity should be ignored – but it is a narrow measure. When treated as the primary goal of economic policy, it can produce an economy that appears efficient on paper yet fragile in practice, with rising output alongside stagnant living standards.

This was evident in the UK after the global financial crisis, when employment and GDP recovered while real wages stagnated for much of the 2010s. Productivity growth alone does not guarantee broadly shared prosperity.

The UK’s productivity slowdown is often framed as a failure to generate enough output per worker. A more uncomfortable possibility is that it reflects a mismatch between what the economy measures and what society needs.

Technology like AI may increase what workers can produce in an hour. But if the problem lies in how work is organised and valued, greater efficiency alone will not be enough.

Questions about the future of work should not begin with productivity statistics alone. They should begin with a simpler inquiry: what do we want the work we do to achieve in the first place?

Dame Jenni Murray, the legendary broadcaster who presented BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour for more than three decades, has died aged 75.

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BBC Radio 4 icon Dame Jenni Murray has died. The legendary broadcaster, who spent more than three decades on the network, had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.

The 75-year-old broadcaster became the longest-serving host in the BBC Radio 4 programme’s history before her exit in 2020, having first appeared on the show in 1987. Last year, she said she was “grateful” for the Christmas period, admitting she initially believed she didn’t think it would happen.

In November, she said that she spent hours in the hospital after suffering what she believed to have been an asthma attack. However, she was subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19.

“Several of us were lined up alongside the corridor wall waiting for attention,” she said of being in hospital.

Dame Jenni spent the night in a “squishy blue plastic chair,” as there were no beds available.

During her tenure at the BBC, Dame Jenni interviewed high-profile figures such as Bette Davis, Margaret Thatcher, Monica Lewinsky, Hillary Clinton, Kate McCann, Dame Judi Dench, Saoirse Ronan and Joan Baez, who sang Diamonds And Rust in the studio for her.

Dame Jenni joined BBC Newsnight in 1983, before moving to Radio 4 as a presenter on the Today programme. She became the regular presenter of Woman’s Hour in 1987 and was made a dame in 2011 in recognition of her contribution to broadcasting.

BBC director-general Tim Davie said: “Her legacy endures in the countless conversations she started, the many issues she championed and the lives she touched.”

Columnist and author Mark Urban paid tribute on X, saying: “Very sorry to see that Jenni Murray has died – as a trainee producer I was dispatched to BBC Southampton in 1984 and worked with her in the newsroom. She was whip smart, always cut through the BS, and her journalism was guided by empathy.”

Financial journalist Paul Lewis said: “Devastatingly sad that the brilliant broadcaster and journalist Jenni Murray has died aged 75. I have met her several times recently and was so impressed with her staunch feminism, great writing, wit, and empathy.

“RIP Jenni. You were a treasure and will be much missed.”

Mohit Bakaya, Controller, BBC Radio 4 and Director of BBC Speech Audio paid tribute, saying: “Jenni Murray was a formidable voice in British broadcasting who was warm, fearless and beloved by listeners. During her decades at Woman’s Hour, she helped shape the national conversation with intelligence, rigour and a remarkable ability to connect with audiences.

“Jenni leaves an indelible legacy on generations of listeners. We are profoundly grateful for her outstanding contribution to Radio 4, and she will be deeply missed.”

Ben Murkin had committed multiple acts of physical violence against the cat.

A man has been banned from keeping all animals for life and given a suspended prison sentence after “astonishing cruelty” that resulted in the death of a ragdoll kitten. Ben Murkin, of Mill Lane, Fordham, Ely, appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on March 6 to be sentenced in a prosecution brought forward by the RSPCA.

Om March 6, 2024, a veterinary practice was contacted by a family member who said Murkin’s cat Whisper had fallen and was struggling to breathe. By the time they arrived at the practice with Whisper, the kitten had already died.

Whisper’s death was reported to the RSPCA after concerns about the injuries. An independent post mortem found that Whisper had suffered injuries including a bruised head, a left eye haemorrhage, reddening and bruising of the tail area, and multiple injuries to limbs, consistent with a strong human grip.

Murkin claimed the injuries occurred when he was carrying out CPR. The post mortem also found evidence of current and old rib fractures and a fracture on the lumber vertebrae.

He had also ignored advice from the bet to bring the cat back on two occasions. These included after bringing in the kitten for limping after a supposed fall in December 2023 and in February 2024 after treatment for a fractured tooth and red gums.

Some of the specific acts of cruelty detailed in court included kicking Whisper against a wall, picking her up by the tail and throwing her down the stairs, and throwing Whisper against the door.

The expert vet concluded in their report: “It is my expert opinion that clearly Whisper suffered as a result of the injuries she sustained however they were caused. She sustained multiple and severe injuries both to her lip and upper canine, to her ribs on the right hand side and then to her face, chest and abdomen in the final incident.

“All of these will have caused her to suffer pain and distress. The final set of injuries the duration of the suffering will only have lasted as long as she remained conscious which is likely to have been a short period of time.

“It is my expert opinion that the injuries sustained by Whisper were the result of deliberate and intentional trauma inflicted upon her by a person with the intention of her causing her serious harm and suffering.”

The court heard he got Whisper with his girlfriend as emotional support as he was lonely. When the relationship ended, he started to resent the cat. The judge described Murkin’s actions as an “extraordinary response”.

The judge noted this had been “astonishing cruelty to an animal” and said Murkin had committed other acts of physical violence on the cat. The offence was placed in the highest category because the injuries were “prolonged and repeated, inflicted with significant force, and resulted in death”.

Murkin had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unnecessary suffering to Whisper by inflicting trauma causing injury and for failing to provide prompt veterinary treatment, in respect of the injury to the cat’s gums and fractured canine tooth.

He was given a 22-month prison sentenced that has been suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. He has been banned for keeping all animals for life and was ordered to pay £500 court costs and £187 victim surcharge.

RSPCA Inspector Emily Astillberry said: “The actions in this case were of astonishing cruelty to a defenceless animal. It is heart-breaking to hear what Whisper – this small ragdoll kitten – had to endure such cruel and sustained suffering. She was still so young when she died and had to endure such pain and suffering during this short life.”

In mitigation the court heard the defendant had expressed genuine remorse for what he had done, was deeply ashamed and disgusted with himself, and was seeking to improve himself.

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Nicola Peltz appears to have taken a major swipe at her estranged in-laws, revealing exactly how close husband Brooklyn Beckham is to her family.

Actress Nicola, 31, married Brooklyn, 27, in a lavish ceremony at her family estate in Florida in 2022, with David and Victoria Beckham in attendance, plus a plethora of celebrity pals.

But when they renewed their vows last summer, the guest list was much smaller, as the Beckham brood had not been invited due to rising tensions with their eldest, the second nuptials having been arranged so Brooklyn and Nicola could ‘create new memories’.

Now, following Brooklyn’s scathing Instagram Story takedown in January, in which he accused his parents of ‘controlling’ him, Nicola has weighed in.

She’s shared that, since moving across the pond to be with the Peltzes indefinitely, Brooklyn and her siblings are incredibly close.

In contrast, he is reportedly only in touch with his own family now through lawyers.

Speaking to Elle, the Lola star said of her budding chef hubby: ‘He gets along really well with my brothers. They play soccer together a lot.’

Nicola, whose parents are billionaire tycoon Nelson, 83, and his wife Claudia, 71, also comes from a big family. She has one sister and six brothers: Brittany, Matthew, Will, Brad, Diesel, Zachary, and Gregory.

Asked how Brooklyn has been welcomed into the fold, she said he’s ‘like another son’.

Heaping praise on her other half, she added: ‘Brooklyn supports my dreams and is the sweetest when I get too hard on myself. 

‘He has the biggest heart in the world.’ 

But it seemingly didn’t take long for Camp Beckham to catch wind of her dig, as middle brother Romeo took to Instagram just hours later with his own subtle comeback.

On his Story, the 23-year-old shared a video of himself playing football with his mates, proving to Nicola that he can still enjoy the sport, even if his brother now plays with someone else’s siblings.

And in case there was any doubt, Romeo couldn’t have made it clearer that he was getting his own back, adding a giggling emoji to his post.

Nicola’s comments emphasising the distance between Brooklyn and his once-tight-knit family come after youngest brother Cruz, 21, said he ‘hopes’ to patch up their relationship.

The musician joined his parents in wishing Brooklyn a happy birthday earlier this month, although he did not respond publicly.

In fact, according to one source, both Brooklyn and Nicola were less than impressed with the gestures, saying that ‘these are the exact type of performative public actions that Brooklyn has been trying to put an end to, to no avail’.

Insiders have further claimed that Brooklyn wants his parents to stop attempting to contact him, full stop, requesting that any correspondence go through his legal team.

And while Brooklyn failed to make any declaration for Victoria on Mother’s Day last weekend, he’s repeatedly had nothing but good things to say about his in-laws.

For Claudia’s birthday on March 12, he shared a photo with the caption: ‘Happy birthday to the best mother-in-law. Love u so much and hope u had the most amazing day.’ 

The love is mutual, too, as businessman Nelson proved at the Wall Street Journal Live Event in early February.

Reporter Lauren Thomas broached the sensitive subject by connecting Nelson’s experience with ‘negotiating high-stakes situations, particularly playing out in public view’ to the recent public attention surrounding his daughter.

Chiming in on the rift for the first time, he initially joked: ‘Has my family been in the press lately? I haven’t noticed that at all.’

Asked if he had any advice on navigating ‘such situations,’ he responded: ‘I do. My advice is to stay the hell out of the press. How much good did that do?

‘My daughter and the Beckhams are a whole other story. That’s not for coverage here today, but I’ll tell you my daughter’s great, my son-in-law Brooklyn is great, and I look forward to them having a long, happy marriage together.’

Neither David nor Victoria has spoken about the feud with their son, but instead have maintained a united front and declared their love for him still via social media.

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And the same is true for our pets, who will be ready to soak up the sunshine by our side.

But spending more time among nature means a heightened risk of tick bites, which can, in some cases, result in Lyme disease.

Ticks are small, parasitic spider-like creatures that feed on mammals’ blood. As they’re active outdoors, primarily in grassy and woodland areas, they pose a particular threat to animals such as cats and dogs.

If ticks go unnoticed and pets are untreated, a tick bite could lead to further complications, including Lyme disease.

Pet owners are being warned about how they treat their dogs after a tick bite, with veterinarian Lily Richards teaming up with TrustedHousesitters to explain why you shouldn’t buy over the counter treatments.

While many products online and in shops claim to prevent parasites, you should only trust products available or recommended by your vet, as some unlegislated products can be dangerous.

“Pet owners can protect their pets with parasite-prevention products available from their veterinary clinic”, Lily explains.

“Over-the-counter products are available but generally are less reliable and, in some cases, not controlled by medical legislation.

“Therefore, they do not have the backing of extensive research and testing that veterinary products have, making them potentially unsafe for purpose and ineffective.”

How to protect your dogs from ticks

Check pets after walks

It’s good practice to do a tick check anytime your dog returns from outdoors. Run your hands over their body, making sure to focus on areas like their head and ears, belly, and armpits. Try to feel for any small bumps on their skin.

Never use tick control intended for cats on dogs, and vice versa

Tick treatment for dogs include chemicals that can be lethal for cats, and a treatment intended for cats may also be harmful to your dog. Your vet will recommend the right treatment for your specific pet.

Cut back the grass in your garden

While ticks are more common in woodland areas, they can also be found in your garden. Make sure to keep the grass and vegetation in your garden cut short to avoid harbouring ticks.

What are ticks?

Ticks are tiny, spider-like creatures which feed on the blood of animals and humans, and are commonly found in woodland and moorland, particularly in areas with long grass.

They don’t jump or fly, but will climb on to you if you brush against something they’re on. The tick will then bite and attach to the skin, where they will feed on blood for several days before dropping off.

Ticks are most active between spring and autumn and are widespread across the UK, but the most high-risk areas include grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands.

Twenty-one-year-old Annabelle Mackay has spoken to the BBC about her experience of surviving a meningitis infection.

The University of Kent law student believes she may have contracted it on 5 March at Club Chemistry, or possibly on an evening before this when she was out at a different venue.

So far, there have been 29 cases of meningitis linked to the outbreak, with a vaccination programme being rolled out for students.

“I feel so grateful to be alive and to be here. I’m still dealing with the aftereffects now, but I think I just need to focus on my recovery and getting better and back to myself,” Mackay told the BBC.

Read more here about why this outbreak has spread so quickly, and read more here about the symptoms of the condition.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Federal prosecutors asked a judge Friday to dismiss the charges against two Louisville officers accused of falsifying the warrant that led police to raid Breonna Taylor’s apartment the night she was killed six years ago.

Prosecutors said in a court filing that their review of the case showed the charges against former Detective Joshua Jaynes and former Sgt. Kyle Meany should be “dismissed in the interest of justice.”

Judges have twice reduced a felony charge against each officer to a misdemeanor, saying there wasn’t a direct link between the false information in the warrant and Taylor’s death. Prosecutors said after the second ruling that they had decided to drop the cases.

“We are elated with this development,” said Travis Lock, an attorney for Jaynes.

Meany’s lawyer, Michael Denbow, said he is “incredibly grateful for today’s filing.”

Meany “is looking forward to putting this matter behind him and moving forward with his life,” he said.

Taylor was shot to death by police when they broke down the door of her apartment while serving a no-knock drug warrant looking for a former boyfriend who no longer lived there.

Taylor’s boyfriend at the time fired at the officers, and Taylor was killed as police fired back.

Federal prosecutors under former President Joe Biden pressed charges against the officers. Under President Donald Trump, though, the Department of Justice asked that Brett Hankison, the only officer serving prison time related to Taylor’s killing, be let out of prison while he appeals his conviction.

Taylor’s mother, Tamkia Palmer, said in a Facebook post that she is extremely disappointed in Trump’s Justice Department.

“Their phone call today informing me that charges against the police are being dropped while implying they have helped me is utterly disrespectful,” Palmer wrote. “This is the first time I’ve heard from them since they took over and it’s clear they have not served me or Breonna well.”

A federal judge sentenced Hankison to 2 years and nine months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for blindly firing 10 shots into Taylor’s windows on the night she was killed. None of the shots hit anyone.

Neither of the two officers who did shoot Taylor was charged, after prosecutors deemed they were justified in returning fire into the apartment.

Police found no drugs or cash inside Taylor’s apartment. The city paid a $12 million wrongful death settlement to Taylor’s family.

The death of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, led to months of protests in the streets of Louisville in 2020, the same year Ahmaud Arbery was killed while jogging in Georgia and George Floyd was choked to death by an officer in Minneapolis.

___

Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina. Associated Press reporter Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

Fifa has implemented a landmark policy that teams in their tournaments must include female coaches.

Under the new ruling, at least two staff members on the bench of every team at matches must be women, with one in an assistant or head coach role.

The rules apply to international football and Fifa club competitions.

Looking across the top 10 nations in the world, six would already be compliant although only four of them have female head coaches.

But does action need to be taken in the English game?

In the Women’s Super League (WSL), BBC research suggests three teams would currently comply with Fifa’s rules. Only a third of WSL managers are female, while two clubs do not appear to have any female head coach or assistant coaches.

“To give equal opportunity, sometimes you need to inject,” said Arsenal manager Renee Slegers. “I’m very proud to be part of Arsenal where there are so many women working at a really high level.”

Fifa’s requirements come into effect for the under-17s and under-20s Women’s World Cup and Women’s Champions Cup competitions later this year.

The rationale is to spark a rapid increase in female representation in coaching roles.

The Women’s Super League says growing the number of female coaches is a priority and is taking a “thoughtful approach” in conjunction with the FA.

They point to a number of pathways already established such as the Coaching Initiative, mentoring and an elite female coaching programme, designed to improve access for women to the top levels of the English game.

Slegers added that anything the WSL could do, whether by regulations, influencing or role modelling, was “powerful”.

There was a huge response after concerns were raised over the ‘suspicious’ man

This is the moment that armed police swooped on a park in Salford and surrounded a man who was ‘exercising in a weighted vest.’

The drama unfolded at Mandley Park in Higher Broughton shortly before midday today (Friday, March 20). Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said they received a report of a ‘suspicious’ man in the park.

Dramatic videos filmed by an onlooker showed the extent of the response and seriousness with which the report was taken before it was eventually found to be a false alarm.

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In the series of clips, officers carrying guns can be seen entering he park and approaching the man from a more than one direction. Their weapons are pointed at him as he can be seen lying on the ground face down in the outdoor gym area of the park.

He then rolls over onto his back before eventually being allowed up onto his knees where he remained for a time with his hands in the air.

At one point he can be seen next to a tree, all the while under the watchful eye of the armed officers, some of whom were stood behind trees and some of whom had their faces covered.

A woman who was working in the nearby Cherrytrees care home, told the Manchester Evening News that helicopters could be heard flying overhead.

She described seeing armed police surrounding the man, with guns pointed towards him and said the man was seen lying on his front.

She added: “He didn’t protest. He was very calm, very quiet. He just laid there, rolled onto his back and police took him away. It was chaos.”

The videos show the man was being escorted from the park by officers. GMP are yet to confirm what happened to the man afterwards.

In a statement issued earlier, they said: “We received a report of a suspicious male on Bristol Street, Salford, at around 11:52am today

“Officers attended and quickly established that the individual was wearing a weighted gym vest and carrying a skipping rope while exercising at an outdoor gym. This was a false alarm and there is no threat to the wider community.”

Mandley Park is situated in the heart of Salford’s Jewish community, around one mile from the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, which was the scene of last October’s terror attack on Yom Kippur.

Large crowds of predominantly young, Jewish people were seen in attendance around Mandley Park after today’s incident unfolded.

A spokesperson for the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which protects Jewish communities in the UK, said: “The incident in Mandley Park has now been resolved. Police have confirmed there is no wider risk to the public. We thank GMP for their swift response to what appears to have been a false alarm.”