Lufthansa and aviation rivals clash in London court over power outlet profits Legal German airline Lufthansa is back in the London courts this week over its long-running patent infringement dispute with a US, a Japanese, and a French aircraft manufacturer. The legal battle stems back to 2017, when aircraft maintenance group Lufthansa Technik alleged that Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems, Panasonic, and Safran infringed its patent for high-voltage aircraft [...]
City law firm lands record £36bn BHP case Legal City-based law firm Quinn Emmanuel has been appointed to lead litigation on a £36bn claim against BHP, one of the largest class action claims in UK history. Another London-based law firm, Pogust Goodhead, is leading the claim against the mining giant over a 2015 collapse of a dam in Brazil, and said on Wednesday it [...]
HMRC secures £190m VAT appeal win against Bolt Tax HMRC has won an appeal against ride hailing platform Bolt over how it calculates and pays its VAT, overturning previous decisions that had ruled in favour of Bolt. This follows an appeal hearing last month brought by the tax authority, which had questioned whether Bolt could use the tour operators’ margin scheme (TOMS). Under this [...]
From bathroom to courtroom: Lush chief’s squabble set to fizz in £6m trial June 17, 2026 The former chief executive of cosmetics giant Lush is set to face off against the current chief executive in a 19-day trial that spans more than 30 years of the company’s history and may cost over £6m in legal fees. The dispute stems from former chief executive Andrew Gerrie’s 2014 exit from the company, after [...]
Starmer confirms teen rape case sent to Court of Appeal after public outcry May 26, 2026 The Attorney General has sent a rape case, which saw two teenage boys spared jail, to the Court of Appeal following a political backlash over the weekend against the judge’s ruling. Two teenage boys raped two girls in separate attacks in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in 2024 and 2025. The third boy, who aided and abetted the [...]
David Lammy rejects higher pay rise for judges amid recruitment crisis May 26, 2026 David Lammy turned down an independent recommendation for a higher judicial pay increase, instead approving a 3.5 per cent rise amid government efforts to tackle recruitment challenges for senior judges. The Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) report, published last week, recommended a 3.8 per cent pay increase across the judiciary, estimated to cost taxpayers around [...]
Former Tory MP set to call Sunak in libel spat with Hancock May 20, 2026 The Court of Appeal is set to hear the latest chapter in a libel claim brought by expelled Tory MP Andrew Bridgen against former ex-health minister Matt Hancock MP. The legal battle between the ex-politicians erupted in January 2023, when Hancock posted on social media about Bridgen after the Tories suspended him over a “disgraceful” [...]
HMRC fights to close Bolt’s VAT loophole May 19, 2026 Ride-hailing platform Bolt faces the tax authorities in court today over how it calculates and pays its VAT bill. At the centre of this dispute was the question of whether Bolt could use the tour operators’ margin scheme (TOMS). Under this scheme, businesses only pay VAT on the profit margin they make between buying a [...]
Turbulence for Luton as court decides if expansion project can leave the ground May 19, 2026 The Court of Appeal will today hear a challenge to the government-approved expansion of Luton Airport from an environmental group over whether the development should have been green-lit last year. The dispute was escalated to the appeals court by the campaign group, Luton And District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (LADACAN), who brought [...]
Energy giant clashes with HMRC at UK’s highest court over £28m penalty May 18, 2026 Scottish Power is to face the tax authority at the UK’s highest court over a tax deduction on a £28m penalty to settle a probe with the regulator. The legal case stems from a probe by the energy regulator Ofgem into Scottish Power between 2013 and 2016 regarding mis-selling, poor complaints handling, and a lack [...]