Tech bosses line up for Cabinet under new Whitehall plans April 12, 2026 Hundreds of business leaders, tech executives and former military figures are set to be trained for senior roles in government under a new initiative aimed at overhauling Whitehall. The programme, led by the Centre for Government Reform, will target candidates from outside Westminster and prepare them to take on positions such as cabinet ministers and [...]
“War in Iran will come at a cost,” Reeves warns UK businesses April 12, 2026 Rachel Reeves has warned the escalating conflict in Iran will feed directly into higher costs for British businesses, as pressure builds on energy prices and inflation. “I am going to be straight with people”, Reeves said, “the war in Iran will come at a cost to British families and business,” signalling that the economic fallout [...]
Ovo sues Talktalk over failed broadband customer deal April 12, 2026 Ovo Energy has launched legal action against Talktalk over a dispute stemming from a failed broadband customer transfer, adding pressure on both companies as they battle financial challenges. The claim centres on a 2022 deal in which Ovo sold a telecoms business, originally acquired through its takeover of SSE Energy Services , to Talktalk, transferring [...]
Annabel’s owner sells Mayfair empire in £1.4bn Abu Dhabi deal April 12, 2026 Richard Caring has sold a majority stake in the business behind Annabel’s, the Ivy and a string of London’s most exclusive restaurants to an Abu Dhabi-backed investor in a deal valuing the group at around £1.4bn. The buyer, Diafa, is a luxury hospitality platform linked to International Holding Company (IHC), chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin [...]
New insurance products for female sports stars must cover fertility care April 12, 2026 With changes to insurance products for female sports stars incoming, Dr Mireia Galian says women can’t be undermined though a lack of consideration for fertility support Maintaining good health and wellbeing goes hand in hand with performance for elite athletes. But for women, there’s an added layer. Women’s health and biology – such as natural [...]
Oil prices could race past $150 as ceasefire in ‘difficult phase’ April 11, 2026 Oil prices could shoot up beyond $150 per barrel if trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain disrupted as the US-Iran ceasefire was entering a “difficult phase”. Research company Kpler said that problems across the Strait could prompt markets to change tune and lead to oil prices jumping higher. The Brent crude oil price, [...]
AI security officials test Anthropic cyber threat as Bank of England to convene chiefs April 11, 2026 AI minister Kanishka Narayan has said that Anthropic’s new cyber model was the most powerful seen yet as finance chiefs from the Bank of England and Treasury are set to meet next week to discuss the threats posed to the financial sector. Narayan revealed that Claude Mythos, a new model that was held back from [...]
Fury: The real fight is not in the ring or ad spend, but brand alignment April 11, 2026 Tonight, when Tyson Fury steps back into the ring, the spectacle will be available live on Netflix to 300m customers worldwide. It is a knockout for audiences. And it will be a showcase event for brand partners too. However, in high-profile environments like this where brands want to make an impression, it is not just [...]
Crispin Odey drops £79m libel case against Financial Times April 10, 2026 Former hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey dropped his libel claim against the Financial Times, ending a high-stakes legal battle over the publication’s reporting of sexual misconduct allegations. The Financial Times published several articles about the City financier in 2023 regarding allegations over his sexual conduct, following allegations from 20 women spanning five decades. Odey has [...]
Deloitte enters rugby league as NRL Super League investment talks near April 10, 2026 Rugby League chiefs have called upon Deloitte as talks over proposed NRL investment into Super League intensify. The sport’s commercial body, RL Commercial, has appointed the global professional services provider as strategic advisors with the Big Four firm recently completing work on the sale of eight Hundred franchises to overseas investors and the ongoing search [...]