‘Expect to be spied on’: MI5 chief warns UK tech startups over foreign threats October 13, 2026 British tech startups should expect to be targeted by foreign spies, the head of MI5 has warned, as the security service ramps up efforts to tackle cyberattacks and the growing national security risks posed by AI. Sir Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, has urged British businesses to strengthen their cyber defences, warning that hostile [...]
AI firms taking ‘catastrophically high’ risks, ex-OpenAI researcher warns MPs October 13, 2026 The world’s biggest AI companies are taking “catastrophically high” risks in their race to develop superintelligent systems, a former OpenAI researcher has warned MPs, as Parliament examines whether tech giants can be trusted to regulate themselves. Daniel Kokotajlo, who quit the ChatGPT maker over safety concerns, told the Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) Committee [...]
Healey rejects calls to equalise capital gains and income tax rates October 13, 2026 Chancellor John Healey has reportedly rejected calls by senior Labour figures to raise capital gains tax to the same levels as income tax, after warnings that an increase would harm Britain’s appeal to investors. Several senior cabinet ministers have in recent months called for capital gains tax (CGT) to be equalised with income tax in [...]
Burnham speaks with all the confidence of a mayor but without the gravitas of a Prime Minister October 13, 2026 Andy Burnham earned his spurs as a great communicator on the back of a few summer TikToks, but is the shine coming off just a couple of months into the new job? While some people still appreciate the supposedly down to earth ‘tell it like it is’ approach, there can be no denying that the [...]
Most voters – and Londoners – back third runway at Heathrow October 13, 2026 Almost half of the British electorate back a third runway at Heathrow airport, with Londoners among the biggest supporters, according to fresh research. City AM/Freshwater Strategy polling has shown that 46 per cent of voters support a new runway at Heathrow. The data revealed that 20 per cent opposed the expansion, while 32 per cent [...]
UK economy to suffer second-highest inflation in G7 October 13, 2026 The UK economy will suffer the second highest inflation of any G7 country over the next two years, the International Monetary Fund has warned, putting Chancellor John Healey’s efforts to ease the cost of living at risk. In its latest report published today, the global finance body has said that inflation will remain above the [...]
Brexit U-turn? Burnham says he is taking ‘pragmatic’ approach on EU October 12, 2026 Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he will take a “pragmatic” approach to boosting relations with the European Union just a fortnight after he suggested he could explore a full return to the world’s largest economic bloc. Burnham told MPs on Monday that a summit with EU leaders would take place on 20 November, where [...]
‘Moral hazard’ – Lawyers warn SFO whistleblowing rewards could backfire October 12, 2026 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 [...]
Triple lock reform and scrapping IHT: Voters give thumbs up to Labour and Tory policies October 12, 2026 Andy Burnham’s pledge to reform the state pension triple lock and Kemi Badenoch’s plan to scrap inheritance taxes on family homes have both received a stamp of approval from voters, new polling has shown. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters showed that the British public back the major policies announced by the [...]
AI minister warns of ‘inevitable’ cyber attack on UK as he tells labs to ‘be honest’ October 12, 2026 Britain cannot rely on tech giants to police their own AI systems, the government has warned, as ministers prepare new measures to protect businesses and national security from increasingly powerful artificial intelligence. AI minister Kanishka Narayan warned that a major AI-powered cyber incident hitting the UK is “inevitable” as he called for a national effort [...]