‘Moral hazard’ – Lawyers warn SFO whistleblowing rewards could backfire Legal The UK government has launched a consultation on reforming whistleblowing laws, seeking to give the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) powers to reward individuals who report economic crime, a move experts view with scepticism. On Monday, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds and minister for the future of work, Kate Dearden, revealed the government’s plans for a “whistleblowing [...]
Midday Markets: Burnham’s welcome crack down on pesky non-competes Business The Midday Market report is a new newsletter from City AM, giving you fresh analysis on the City’s biggest stories straight into your inbox every lunchtime. Today, Ali Lyon outlines the positive case for Andy Burnham’s clampdown on non-competes and lengthy notice periods. You know something is wrong with the upper end of Britain’s labour [...]
Jonathan Reynolds weighs Chinese EV tariffs after sales soar Motoring Jonathan Reynolds is reportedly weighing up whether to impose tariffs on Chinese EVs as the business secretary grapples with a surge in imports. Ministers are concerned that Chinese carmakers are “dumping” subsidised vehicles into the UK, the Times reported, and are considering adopting the 45 per cent tariff levied on Chinese cars by the EU. [...]
Exclusive: Mayors can use tourist tax to ramp up borrowing, Burnham tells business September 30, 2026 Andy Burnham has looked to justify his new uncapped “tourist tax” to business chiefs by claiming it will allow mayors to ramp up borrowing, City AM understands. In various meetings at Labour’s Business Day, top business groups were told by ministers the so-called overnight stay levy will let mayors take on more debt and use [...]
UK government opens door to AI laws as safety warnings mount September 15, 2026 The UK government has left the door open to tougher AI regulation after the companies building the world’s most powerful models called for slower development, fearing safety has fallen behind. City AM understands ministers believe AI is already covered by laws spanning data protection, competition, product safety and online safety, but accept those rules may [...]
Reynolds hails ‘tremendous upsides’ to AI amid warnings on threats September 15, 2026 Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has emphasised the “tremendous upsides” to AI that should not be overlooked, as a growing number of tech engineers have warned of its threat to existence. Reynolds told the BBC that the UK should “never be complacent” about AI or “naive about the impact”, although he emphasised that new models could [...]
Government admits Burnham’s Whitehall shake-up leaves tech policy in limbo September 11, 2026 Nearly two months after Andy Burnham abolished Britain’s technology department, ministers have admitted parts of the former department still have nowhere to go. A long-awaited breakdown of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) carve-up revealed a “small number of policy areas” are yet to be allocated, while some staff are still waiting to [...]
UK government slashes corporate red tape, cutting paperwork ‘longer than The Hobbit’ September 7, 2026 Ministers have announced sweeping reforms to corporate reporting, aiming to save businesses over £450m annually by ditching “Hobbit-length” paperwork. Under the overhaul, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including local family firms, will be exempt from certain reporting forms and audits, aiming to save businesses thousands of pounds and hours of administrative work. The Department for [...]
Jaguar Land Rover confirms plans to cut thousands of jobs September 7, 2026 Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed plans to cut thousands of jobs as it looks to slash around £1.7bn from its cost base over the next two years. The Midlands-based carmaker said it needed to “simplify” its structure as it presses ahead with the next phase of its strategy. The company’s bosses told staff on Monday [...]
Reform UK donations sting ‘looks bad,’ admits Farage September 6, 2026 Nigel Farage has admitted that an undercover investigation into Reform UK’s approach to foreign donations “looks bad”. The Reform leader appeared to soften his position on the donations row engulfing his party but denied it had ever breached electoral law by accepting overseas funding. Farage has been forced to defend his party against allegations that [...]