Government to clamp down on ‘buy now pay later’ services such as Klarna and Clearpay May 19, 2025 Fintechs including Klarna and Clearpay providing ‘buy now pay later’ services will face fresh regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after years of wrangling and delays. New rules will require financial services providers to conduct affordability checks as part of efforts to make banking standards more consistent. Borrowers will also be able to make [...]
Keir Starmer reaches tentative EU trade deal ahead of summit May 19, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has agreed a tentative trade deal with the EU, the biggest shake-up of Britain’s relationship with the bloc since Brexit. The UK-EU deal is expected to involve a new trading arrangement and a border deal and could extend to a new security and defence pact, which could open up access to the [...]
The defence industry shouldn’t expect a gold rush May 19, 2025 Despite all their talk, Labour's promises won't mean a gold rush for the defence industry, writes Eliot Wilson.
Labour to back use of ChatGPT and AI in schools May 19, 2025 The UK will back international guidelines on using generative AI such as ChatGPT in schools, the Education Secretary is set to announce. In a speech to the Education World Forum in London on Monday, Bridget Phillipson will aim to put Britain at the forefront of a “revolution” in education technology. As well as funding efforts [...]
Elton John slams government as ‘losers’ over AI copyright row May 18, 2025 Sir Elton John described the Government as “absolute losers” and said he felt “incredibly betrayed” after calls by peers to amend the Data (Use and Access) Bill to include greater copyright protections against artificial intelligence (AI) were resisted. Earlier this week, the House of Lords supported an amendment designed to ensure copyright holders would have [...]
Centrica: Major gas facility to shut without government help May 18, 2025 The boss of Centrica – which owns British Gas – has warned the UK’s largest natural gas storage facility will be “decommissioned” unless the government steps in. Speaking on BBC Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, company boss Chris O’Shea called for the government to underwrite the business’ investments in the Rough facility near the East Yorkshire [...]
UK-EU trade talks in ‘final hours’ ahead of landmark summit May 18, 2025 Talks on a UK-EU deal are in their “final hours” ahead of a major summit with the bloc, the minister in charge of negotiations has said. Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce a deal with the EU when he meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa in [...]
Reeves’ tax hikes are ‘death blow to London,’ Britain’s richest warn May 18, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is under renewed pressure as Britain’s top business leaders and entrepreneurs blasted her economic agenda following The Sunday Times Rich List revealing a record drop in the country’s number of billionaires. Reeves’ crack down on “non-dom” status has accelerated an exodus of leading business bosses fleeing the UK to avoid the Chancellor’s [...]
UK condemns Russian drone strike that left nine dead in Ukraine May 17, 2025 The UK has condemned a Russian drone attack that killed nine people in Ukraine early on Saturday. The attack, which struck a passenger bus in Ukraine’s north-eastern Sumy region, came just hours after the first face-to-face talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he was “appalled” by the [...]
Tax fraud: HMRC ramps up dawn raids in crackdown May 16, 2025 According to the law firm Pinsent Masons, HMRC carried out an average of 12 property searches each week last year, as the campaign against tax evasion intensified and the government tax body became “increasingly proactive.” In the year ending March 2024, the government tax body carried out 648 dawn raids, up from 623 raids in 2022/23. [...]