New call to increase maternity pay to £364.70 each week for all mums

The Mysterines have announced their second album ‘Afraid Of Tomorrows’ and shared lead single ‘Stray’. Check it out below, along with an exclusive interview with singer Lia Metcalfe.Due for release June 7, ‘Afraid Of Tomorrows’ is the follow-up to 2022’s debut album ‘Reeling’ and follows on from a stint supporting Arctic Monkeys in UK stadiums last summer.“It’s almost feels like it would have made more sense if our albums were released the other way round,” Metcalfe told NME, with ‘Reeling’ focussing more on massive hooks and big singalongs while ‘Afraid Of Tomorrows’ sees the band leaning more on their psych, grunge and alternative influences.“I prefer to create a more intimate connection with fans rather than blowing their heads off with a huge riff.

British filmmaker Sally Potter has set plans to re-release her 2009 feature Rage, starring Riz Ahmed, Lily Cole, Jude Law, and Judi Dench, as a series of posts on Instagram, to mark the film’s 15th anniversary. 

Boy George has been accused of “ripping off” Kylie Minogue in his latest single. The British singer, 62, released his new track “Religion,” where the artwork has the singer with his signature hat and beard, standing against a backdrop that looks like a sunset, with the name and title of the single written across the image.

Vampire Weekend just announced they’re heading out their 43-concert ‘Only God Was Above Us Tour’ this spring, summer and fall with special guests Mark Ronson, Princess featuring Maya Rudolph, Ra Ra Riot, Turnstiles, The English Beat and more to celebrate the band’s upcoming fifth studio album, due out April 5.Toward the end of the nationwide run, Ezra Koenig and co. are slated to bring their impeccable indie rock to New York City for two back-to-back gigs at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Oct.

Newly updated figures show that during the ongoing cost of living crisis, people in the UK claiming their State Pension entitlement only just break even despite a record-breaking increase to weekly payment rates in April. The research, conducted by pension advisors Almond Financial, looked at the State Pension in comparison to the average cost of living in the UK.

A new online petition is urging the UK Government to “commit to not increasing the State Pension age above 68” following the publication of new research by the International Longevity Centre, which suggested that the State Pension age will need to rise to 71 by 2050 to keep up with projected longer life expectancy.

Noel Gallagher has shared details of an intimate live show, set to take place in Bournemouth later this spring. Find ticket information below.Announced today (February 19), the new live gig will be held at the city’s O2 Academy next month and comes as part of a series of warm-up gigs that the former Oasis member will be playing at some of the UK’s most intimate venues.It will be held on March 18, and comes between his two previously announced live shows: Poole’s Lighthouse on March 17 and the Guildhall in Portsmouth on March 20.

Call The Midwife is taking a break and fans are not happy.The BBC One drama, which is airs on Sunday evenings, will not be showing this weekend because of the BAFTA Film Awards. However a spokesperson confirmed that the hit show will be back the following week, as usual.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Vampire Weekend has announced a 2024 tour in support of their forthcoming album “Only God Above Us,” in addition to releasing the album’s first two singles “Capricorn” and “Gen-X Cops.” After the album’s arrival on April 5, the North American jaunt will kick off on Apr. 8 in Austin, TX, and make stops in more than 35 cities such as Los Angeles, Berkeley, Seattle, Cincinnati, Toronto, Boston, New York and Atlanta.

Vampire Weekend have announced a huge 2024 North American tour kicking off in April – find all the details below.The New York rock band announced news of the lengthy US stint today (February 16) along with dropping two new tracks, ‘Capricorn’ and ‘Gen-X Cops’, from their forthcoming fifth studio, ‘Only God Was Above Us’ (out April 5).The dates will kick off with their show during the solar eclipse at Moody Amphitheater in Austin on April 8, followed by stops in Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and many more, before arriving back in Austin for a final show at the Moody Center on October 17.Fans can sign up now here to access pre-sales from Wednesday, February 21 at 10am local time.

Prince Harry will finally break his silence on his father King Charles' poor health and the current state of their relationship in a brand new interview tomorrow.

The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that the State Pension currently provides regular financial support for nearly 12.7 million older people across Great Britain, including over one million retirees living in Scotland. This payment is administered by the UK Government and is available for those who have reached the eligible retirement age - currently 66 for both men and women - who have accrued at least 10 years' worth of National Insurance Contributions.

An American musician caught with 30 kilos of weed at Manchester Airport said he was due a $3,000 payday. Jazz Orr claimed he was in debt after 'flying the nest' and needed quick cash.

A former co-star of Married At First Sight UK's JJ Slater has issued a warning to Katie Price over their new romance, as they say she will "end up heartbroken". Katie, 45, and JJ, 30, went public with their romance last week, after ongoing speculation that they were dating. But Georges Berthhonneau, JJ's former co-star from the 2023 series of MAFS, doesn't think the relationship will last, as he suggested that JJ is more interested in fame, and "won't be in it for the long run".

Welcome to ElectionLine’s A View From Abroad series, in which we speak to media figures who don’t live in America, but keep a close eye on its politics. Every few weeks, these smart observers will provide a unique perspective on what promises to be a fraught and unpredictable campaign for the White House. This week, our interview is with Matt Frei, who serves as an anchor and Europe editor for Channel 4 News. He is nominated for the network presenter prize at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards, which take place on February 28.

Pearl Jam have announced details of a huge world tour, covering North America, the UK, Europe and Australia, for later in the year – see full details below.It comes hot on the heels of the band unveiling news of their new album ‘Dark Matter’ earlier today (February 13). The record, their 12th overall and follow-up to 2020’s ‘Gigaton’, will be released on April 19 via Monkeywrench Records, and can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here.Alongside that, Eddie Vedder and co.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has made her US TV debut – performing ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.The singer took to the stage on the chat show last night (February 12) for what was her first-ever performance on US television. For the live appearance, she performed her 2001 hit, which has recently made a huge comeback thanks to that memorable final scene in Saltburn.Since the film was released at the end of 2023, the British club classic became a viral hit on TikTok and even entered the Billboard Hot 100 – her first-ever song to chart in the US.

Drive Away Dolls just last week, but here’s a UK-specific promo for the film which will be released through Universal Pictures later this year.Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, this comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

The Duchess of Sussex famously received her big break when she starred as Rachel Zane in the hit legal series Suits - something which she has now addressed on her and Prince's Harry's brand new website. Despite it being rumoured that Meghan is in "advanced talks" to make a return to the silver screen, her focus appears to be in another direction as the recent low-profile launch of Sussex.com suggests the Duchess has her sights set on new endeavours.

Potter Payper has announced that he will be releasing a new mixtape later this month called ‘Thanks For Hating’.Last week (February 7), the 26th MOBOs saw the likes of Central Cee, Dave, Asake, RAYE, Shygirl and more picking up awards. At the ceremony, Ghetts was honoured with the MOBO Pioneer Award, Soul II Soul earned the Lifetime Achievement Award and Sugababes took home the MOBO Impact Award.East Londoner Potter Payper won the Album Of The Year award for his critically lauded debut, ‘Real Back In Style’.