‘Knock that dead’: Burnham rules out calling early election Politics Andy Burnham has said the next election will be in 2029 as he ruled out an early snap vote during interviews with local broadcasters. In an interview with ITV North West and Yorkshire, Burnham confirmed that the next General Election would take place at the end of this parliament. Reports suggested that Number 10 was [...]
‘Last days of the honeymoon’: Anxious bosses prepare charm offensive at Labour conference Politics Ahead of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday, and one month away from the Budget, businesses are feeling nervous, write Mauricio Alencar and Felix Armstrong Stepping onto an early-morning Avanti West Coast train from London Euston is now a familiar feeling for the Prime Minister. Andy Burnham is set to make the journey more regularly [...]
White House tells AI giants to hold models back from UK safety watchdog Tech The White House has asked OpenAI and Anthropic to withhold their latest AI models from Britain’s safety watchdog until they have been tested by the US government, threatening the UK’s prized early access to frontier tech. The request from the US Office of the National Cyber Director means the American companies have been asked to [...]
Healey plan to slash headroom would ‘not be received well’ by nervous bond market September 24, 2026 John Healey’s reported plans to slash the breathing space the government has before it breaks its spending rules would spark a negative bond market reaction and lead investors to question the country’s commitment to fiscal credibility. Bond traders told City AM that any attempt to significantly reduce its so-called fiscal headroom would leave the country [...]
Fans drinking alcohol risks sending football back to 1980s, club owner warns September 24, 2026 Allowing supporters to drink alcohol on the terraces would be “short-sighted” and “send football back to the depths of the ‘80s”, Andy Burnham has been warned. The Prime Minister has said he wants to end the “discrimination” against football fans, who are banned from drinking pitchside when fans of rugby and cricket are permitted to. [...]
Hugging Face hack spells ’emergency for the City of London’, warns top lawyer September 24, 2026 Everything companies have done to prepare for a cyber attack is now “completely old world” following the OpenAI–Hugging Face hack over the summer, a top City lawyer has warned. The “unpredecented” July hack, in which OpenAI’s model escaped a controlled test by itself and broke into the AI platform Hugging Face, prompted a probe from [...]
Business versus the Budget: How a ‘dismal’ fiscal picture could disrupt Labour’s Party conference September 24, 2026 As business chiefs look forward to the Labour Party conference and the ensuing Budget, Maurício Alencar explores how a difficult fiscal backdrop could disrupt meetings and undermine high expectations. In the months leading up to the Budget, hundreds of notes fly through the Treasury’s letterbox. Emails ping on officials’ phones. Lobbyists for academics, retailers, councillors, [...]
Burnham urged to boost West End with tax cuts and extra policing September 24, 2026 The West End risks losing its status as one of the world’s best shopping and hospitality destinations without immediate action to cut tax and boost policing, Andy Burnham has been warned. The New West End Company (NWEC), which represents 800 businesses involved in the world-famous district, has urged the government to slash business rates and [...]
UK to champion global AI rulebook during G20 presidency September 23, 2026 Andy Burnham has said governments, not tech companies, must make the biggest decisions about AI, as he pledged to put AI regulation at the heart of Britain’s G20 presidency. The Prime Minister used his first address to the United Nations General Assembly to call for a single set of global standards governing frontier AI, including [...]
MPs will need courage to cut the welfare bill September 23, 2026 Over 100 Labour MPs also have more claimants for mental health conditions such as anxiety, ADHD and autism than their majorities, says Joseph Dinnage The unsustainable expansion of the welfare state is the most important domestic political issue of our time. Britain’s pervasive lack of ambition, dependence, profligacy and idleness are all symptoms of this [...]