Stephen Fry launches £100k lawsuit against tech conference over fall April 30, 2026 Stephen Fry is suing the organisers of tech conference CogX Festival after falling off the stage at the O2 Arena in London and breaking his leg, pelvis, and ribs. Filed in the High Court, the 68-year-old actor and comedian is alleging in his £100,000 claim that the accident, which happened in 2023, was caused by “negligence” from CogX [...]
Meet the startup backed by Peter Thiel that wants to ‘hold journalists to account’ April 28, 2026 Founder Aron D’Souza spoke to Maria Ward-Brennan about his Peter Thiel-backed startup, which aims to hold journalists accountable by providing real-time ratings and investigations into their reporting practices. There exists a lively debate about the extent to which AI could replace journalists, but before it does that – could it develop a hold over the [...]
Proposed consumer lawsuit regime may expose businesses to mass litigation April 22, 2026 The UK government’s proposal for a class-action scheme that allows consumers to collectively sue businesses could wreak havoc if greenlit, as businesses could face ‘increased litigation risk’. The Law Commission, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), proposed project, expected to commence in Autumn 2026, will identify the benefits and risks of introducing a more [...]
End of the runway for Gatwick as top court kicks out insurance lifeline April 22, 2026 Gatwick Investment’s appeal against insurance giant Liberty Mutual has been struck down over whether insurers can deduct government furlough payments from business claims. The Supreme Court ruled that insurers do not have to pay an estimated £1bn to the hospitality and leisure companies involved in the case that suffered financial losses during the pandemic because [...]
Judge throws out Richard Desmond’s billion-pound lottery case April 17, 2026 Media tycoon Richard Desmond has lost his billion-pound legal battle against the Gambling Commission over the 2022 National Lottery license. Desmond’s group, Northern and Shell, and its subsidiary, the New Lottery Company, launched a £1.3bn legal action against the Gambling Commission after it awarded the next licence to Czech gambling group Allwyn. The procurement competition for [...]
Ovo sues Talktalk over failed broadband customer deal April 12, 2026 Ovo Energy has launched legal action against Talktalk over a dispute stemming from a failed broadband customer transfer, adding pressure on both companies as they battle financial challenges. The claim centres on a 2022 deal in which Ovo sold a telecoms business, originally acquired through its takeover of SSE Energy Services , to Talktalk, transferring [...]
‘Ambulance chasers’ in the crosshairs as claims industry faces scrutiny April 2, 2026 As London’s legal scene gets more litigious, creeping closer to the American ‘sue everything’ culture, so-called ambulance chasing claims firms are starting to appear in the headlines – for the wrong reasons. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)’s chief executive, Nikhil Rathi, has been critical of claims management companies (CMC) or similarly specialised law firms throughout [...]
Rightmove accused of ‘bullying’ estate agents in £1.5bn legal battle April 1, 2026 Property giant Rightmove has been accused of “bullying” its members into making payments, as hundreds of estate agents support a £1.5bn legal claim against the firm. The FTSE 100 company has been accused of charging excessive and unfair fees to the estate agents and new home developers that used its property listing portal as part [...]
Crispin Odey accused of ‘trying to manipulate’ a woman he assaulted March 25, 2026 Crispin Odey has been accused of “trying to manipulate” a woman into silence, after the financial regulator alleged that the disgraced financier tried to discourage her from giving a full account of her experience with him. In text messages shown in court sent to a woman, Odey said: “Really sorry… the FCA is pursuing a [...]
Wimbledon tennis expansion wins major battle after huge ruling on £200m plans March 19, 2026 The proposed £200m expansion of Wimbledon into an adjacent London golf course overcame a major hurdle today, with a judge ruling in favour of the All England Club. An appeal by campaign group Save Wimbledon Park resulted in a six-day hearing earlier this year, but Mr Justice Thompsell has landed on the side of the [...]