Nscale and ElevenLabs power £41bn AI boom as Britain cements unicorn crown Tech Britain’s AI sector has more than tripled in value in just a year, with fast-growing firms including Nscale and ElevenLabs now worth a combined £41bn as the UK strengthens its position as Europe’s leading startup hub. New research from the Hurun UK Unicorn Index shows the country’s nine AI unicorns have surged to a combined [...]
Balfour Beatty emerges from US oversight scheme after fraud against military Transport & Infrastructure There was a “landmark moment” for FTSE 250 firm Balfour Beatty on Monday, with the announcement that its US subsidiary emerged from special scrutiny from the Department of Justice (DoJ). The news came as both a reminder of the global reach of London’s major support services sector and the pitfalls it can face from complex, [...]
Andy Burnham ducks ‘fiscal rules exam’ despite pledge to stick to them Politics Andy Burnham refused to explain Labour’s fiscal rules on Friday, despite insisting he would stick to them if he entered Downing Street, raising questions over the economic strategy underpinning his growing leadership bid. The Greater Manchester Mayor, who has spent months positioning himself as Labour’s most prominent alternative voice, was challenged to explain the government’s [...]
Why can the Faroe Islands build faster than Britain? June 4, 2026 The Faroe Islands has built miles of undersea tunnels for less than a third of what Britain has spent on a consultation for one, says Joe Cawley Every day, tens of thousands of vehicles crawl across the Dartford Crossing, one of the UK’s key economic arteries. Relief is on the way. Work has begun on the Lower [...]
The road to growth: Why motorway services are key to EV revolution May 22, 2026 Motorway services will be central to the EV transition, but urgent action is needed to unlocl grid capacity, writes Tim Gittins.
Government targets £99bn in Australian investment in major projects May 11, 2026 The government is looking Down Under to bankroll major infrastructure projects, as it aims to raise £99bn in Australian pension investment the next decade. Investment minister Lord Stockwood is touring Australia, Malaysia and Singapore this week as he positions the UK as the most “trusted, stable and connected” destination for funds in the region. The [...]
Delay fuel duty hike or risk stalling major transport projects, Labour warned May 1, 2026 The government risks stalling key road and rail infrastructure projects unless it extends the freeze to fuel duty, a leading construction industry body has warned. The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA), which represents more than 2,000 firms providing construction machinery and expertise, told City AM “nothing will get built” if its members pull back from projects [...]
Global infrastructure spending to surpass $150 trillion by 2050 April 28, 2026 Global infrastructure spending is projected to surpass $150 trillion through 2050, as countries look to modernise systems to meet growing AI and electrification demands. Annual global infrastructure spending is forecast to climb from $4.4 trillion (£3.2 trillion) in 2024 to $6.9 trillion in 2050, ultimately driving investment of $151.1 trillion, according to the latest findings [...]
Clearbank deposits balloon amid growth at Revolut and Coinbase April 15, 2026 The banking backbone behind the likes of Revolut and Coinbase has recorded a surge in deposits and revenue as client activity hit record levels Clearbank, which launched in 2017 to provide banking infrastructure and embedded services to challengers, posted a 65 per cent jump in deposits in 2025, reaching £17.8bn. The growth came as the [...]
Peter Kyle touts US opportunities as OpenAI pauses UK investment April 10, 2026 Business secretary Peter Kyle has insisted Britain’s economic ties with the US are strong despite political tensions, in what he dubbed a “really great economic set of opportunities” between the two countries. Speaking ahead of a major trade mission to California, Kyle was optimistic about transatlantic relations, despite rhetoric from Trump straining diplomatic ties. “The [...]