Keir Starmer U-turns on plans to cancel 30 local elections February 16, 2026 The government has shelved plans to postpone local elections in May for 30 councils in England. Communities secretary Steve Reed says the decision comes “in the light of recent legal advice”, and ahead of a planned High Court hearing that was set for Thursday. According to a letter from the Government Legal Department, shared by [...]
Court ruling tests Britain’s £1bn data centre power plans – and energy policy February 5, 2026 A High Court challenge to a £1bn data centre beside the M25 has exposed a glaring issue for Britain’s ambitious AI build out. Power hungry projects are effectively being approved before anyone is sure where the power will come from. The government has accepted that planning permission for a 90MW hyperscale facility at Iver in [...]
Crispin Odey firm discovered dozens of ‘inappropriate conduct claims’ February 3, 2026 Crispin Odey’s wound down hedge fund unearthed nearly 50 allegations of “inappropriate conduct” made by female staff about the disgraced hedge fund manager during an internal investigation, newly released court filings show. In evidence submitted by the Financial Conduct Authority, the founder of Odey Asset Management is accused of engaging in at least 46 instances [...]
EY avoids judgment in £2bn case as Alvarez & Marsal reach ‘confidential agreement’ February 2, 2026 The mammoth legal fight against the Big Four giant EY over its auditing of a former London-listed health giant that collapsed amid fraud allegations has been withdrawn following a settlement. Private hospital operator NMC Health Plc collapsed in April 2020 after being placed into administration, and was delisted from the London Stock Exchange in the [...]
High Court grants urgent hearing on Labour’s inheritance tax overhaul January 28, 2026 The High Court has green-lit an urgent hearing at the High Court over the government’s inheritance tax raid on agricultural assets and family firms. The proposed changes to agricultural property relief (APR) and business property relief (BPR) represent one of the biggest shifts in UK inheritance tax (IHT) policy in decades, following the government’s initial [...]
High Court showdown over alleged ‘procedural irrationality’ in Gatwick runway £2.2bn approval January 20, 2026 The Secretary of State has been accused of reaching “inherently contradictory and irrational” conclusions by finding Gatwick’s second runway would have a “significant adverse effect” on the climate, the High Court heard this morning. The transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, greenlit plans for Gatwick Airport’s second runway, the Northern Runway, in September. This was “the largest [...]
Gatwick’s £2.2bn second runway to be challenged in court January 19, 2026 Gatwick Airport’s £2.2bn second runway will be the focus of a legal challenge at the High Court on Tuesday, as an environmental group opposes the government’s decision to grant the approval. In September, Gatwick Airport’s second runway, the Northern Runway, received development consent from the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander. Gatwick has had a northern runway [...]
Judge refuses BHP permission to appeal landmark case January 19, 2026 The High Court has refused mining giant BHP permission to appeal a ruling that found it liable for a dam disaster under both environmental law and the Brazilian civil code. The Melbourne-HQ’d group was sued in London over a deadly dam disaster in Brazil in 2015. Law firm Pogust Goodhead launched a group lawsuit in [...]
Legal firm faces “material uncertainty” after publishing overdue accounts January 7, 2026 After months of delay, the law firm behind the largest action to hit the London High Court published its 2023 financial accounts, which revealed an annual loss of £95m. Pogust Goodhead’s 2023 account, published on Companies House on Monday, four months past the deadline, showed turnover decreased sharply to £3,607,387, down from £53,077,800 in 2022. [...]
Steve Coogan’s TV maker returns to profit before High Court settlement January 6, 2026 Steve Coogan’s production company returned to profit ahead of settling a High Court defamation claim, it has been revealed. Baby Cow Productions has reported a pre-tax profit of £358,628 for the year to 31 March, 2025. The profit comes after the business posted a pre-tax loss of £374,081 for the prior 12 months. New accounts [...]