The Latest Breaking News from the British Council

A-level results: key takeaways for language learning

Exam-entry statistics in the summer tend to prompt debates about the future of language learning in the UK. These are often framed around languages being in crisis: fewer young people study languages than two decades ago, and concerns persist about the UK’s linguistic capacity in an interconnected world.

The Conversation · Aug 13

British Council to close offices in nine countries to survive financial problems

The British Council – core to UK cultural influence abroad – is to end its permanent presence in nations including Tanzania and Mozambique, closing its offices and withdrawing staff

The Independent UK · Jul 13

Colin Perchard obituary

Other lives: British Council official whose service culminated in India as director across south Asia

The Guardian - UK · Jul 6

Soft power sell-off: anger as British Council announces sale of historic Madrid building

Backlash grows among European staff against radical cuts to pay off Covid-era debt, with some accusing council of ‘colonial attitude’

The Guardian - UK · May 22

British Council staff in Italy to strike over proposed 80% workforce cut

Soft power institution faces funding crisis linked to Covid-era government loan due to be repaid by September

The Guardian - UK · May 20

‘We put our heads above the parapet’: Lubaina Himid on winning her 40-year battle to storm the Venice Biennale

In the 1980s, she had to show her work in a corridor by the ICA’s toilet. Now she’s representing Britain at the ‘art Olympics’. So is the artist feeling a bit establishment? Quite the reverse

The Guardian - UK · May 5

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ‘banned from horseriding’ by royal aides after arrest

The former prince is under investigation for misconduct in public office

The Independent UK · Feb 26

‘Rude, arrogant and entitled’: MPs line up to condemn disgraced Andrew

The speaker let it be known there was no prohibition on criticising royals in the chamber. So MPs had a go

The Guardian - UK · Feb 24

Gen Z names film stars as Britain’s top cultural influencers

Tom Holland, Millie Bobby Brown and KSI were among the most popular names on the list

The Independent UK · Dec 8, 2025

Who were recognised as Gen Z’s top cultural influences?

The British Council found that young people think film and TV have the largest cultural impact in society.

Evening Standard · Dec 8, 2025