Afternoon briefing Wednesday 18th February

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters. PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. This is your Times Radio News Briefing for the afternoon of Wednesday 18th February. reform uk says it would shake up the benefit system if it got into power including restoring the two child benefit cap the cap on claiming benefits like universal credit for a third child or more is being scrapped by the labor government in april but reform's treasury spokesperson robert jenrich says tax income is being wasted it's going to those who don't need it or shouldn't be getting it.

1:03Council houses for migrants, foreign aid to rich countries, billions in welfare for foreign citizens, expensive new cars for those with mild anxiety, colossal payouts to fat cat executives of utility companies that are increasing not cutting people's energy and water bills. Reform also wants to toughen the rules on mental health benefits requiring a clinical diagnosis for all requests. The Chancellor said she's determined to get youth unemployment down, but declined to say whether that would involve keeping the minimum wage lower for 18-year-olds than for older adults. The Times understands that ministers were considering breaking a manifesto commitment and keeping the age brackets over fears of youth unemployment rising further.

1:48Government Minister Joe Stevens told us there will be no change in policy and that previous wage increases are not linked to the current unemployment rate of 16 % among young adults. If you look at the history of the national minimum wage, for example, there have always been people that have said that there will be catastrophic effects from it. When we first introduced it in government in 1998, the claims were that we'd have mass unemployment as a result. That didn't happen. And every time the minimum wage has been put up, people say it will cause unemployment. That hasn't happened either. Since Labour came in, there's been a 16.3 % increase in the cost of hiring someone between 18 and 20, due to rise by a further 8 % in April.

2:29Six Palestine action activists will face a retrial on criminal damage charges, according to the CPS. It's over a break-in at the UK branch of an Israel-based defence firm. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is due to take the stand in a key test case accusing Meta and YouTube of harming kids' mental health through addictive platforms. A woman who began using Instagram aged nine says the company sought to profit by hooking young children in despite knowing social media could harm their mental health. She alleges the platforms contributed to her depression and body dysmorphia. Britain's leading defence contractor and arms manufacturer reported record full-year sales and profits in 2025.

3:09BAE Systems said it expected a similarly strong performance this year as global conflicts and heightened military tensions continued to drive demand. shares have increased to new highs to£21.44 valuing the group at nearly£64 billion. For more stories like this listen throughout the day to Times Radio.

3:47that powers reinvention and growth across your business. Strong foundations unlock AI's potential. That's why PwC takes you further with tech, strengthening the data quality, processes, and workflows that shape how well AI performs. PwC turns innovation into implementation, so you can accelerate from experiment to scale. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. Do you keep hearing podcast ads like this one, for example, but always wonder how you actually get involved with them for your own brand or organization? Well, it's easier than you think. We're Acast, and we give you the platform to do it all yourself.

4:29Browse thousands of popular podcasts, choose the shows that match your perfect audience, set your budget and launch. And if you want a hand, our podcast specialists are there to help you launch with confidence. This is podcast advertising without barriers. Get started at acast.com slash advertise.