Anthropic payout piles pressure on UK ministers in AI copyright row July 22, 2026 The publishing industry has urged ministers to force AI companies to license copyrighted content after Anthropic agreed a record $1.5bn (£1.1bn) settlement over its use of pirated books to train AI models. Dan Conway, chief executive of the Publishers Association, told City AM the agreement should serve as a warning to AI developers operating in [...]
Former Southern Water boss charged with conspiracy to defraud July 22, 2026 The former boss of Southern Water is among four of the water firm’s ex-employees set to face criminal proceedings for conspiracy to defraud. The Environment Agency (EA) alleges that between January 2012 and December 2017 Matthew Wright helped manipulate the operator self-monitoring testing regime by implementing “artificial no-flow events” at wastewater treatment works. The government [...]
AI reduces founders’ need for capital, says Revolut Business July 22, 2026 AI is reducing the amount of capital startups need to build global businesses, shifting the battle for founders away from funding and towards which countries offer the best environment to scale, according to the head of Revolut Business. Speaking to City AM, James Gibson said AI had dramatically lowered the cost of building and operating [...]
‘We are going to run out’: Mitie marks eleventh mega takeover of 2026 July 22, 2026 Mitie’s takeover by rival facilities management group OCS marks the London Stock Exchange’s eleventh £1bn takeover so far this year, as the market continues to serve as a hunting ground for private buyers. OCS agreed to pay 218.5p per share and a final dividend of up to 3.1p. The offer price comes at a 44.7 [...]
Can the City make friends with Healey? July 22, 2026 For the second time in history, the Labour party has recruited a former defence secretary by the name of Healey to become chancellor. The first, Denis Healey, ended up going cap-in-hand to the IMF for a bailout in 1976 after the UK endured rocketing inflation, soaring borrowing and surging unemployment. So the bar has been [...]
‘Phenomenal waste of time’: Burnham slammed over plans to dismantle tech department July 21, 2026 Andy Burnham faced immediate questions over his decision to abolish the tech department on Tuesday, as peers warned the move risked disrupting Britain’s AI strategy. Ministers were hauled before the House of Lords less than a day after the machinery of government changes to the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) were announced, where [...]
Healey challenges Cabinet to find cuts July 21, 2026 Chancellor John Healey has challenged Cabinet ministers to find savings in budgets hours after Andy Burnham was criticised for making an “unfunded” tax cut. In the first meeting between Cabinet ministers under Burnham’s government, Healey urged ministers to “look harder” at spending priorities across departments. Burnham also urged ministers to consider “how we are going [...]
Brazen Burnham should call an election and put his ten year plan to the voters July 21, 2026 Plenty of people were staring at their phones outside the Calais terminal of the Eurotunnel on Monday afternoon, but I sensed I was the only one watching Andy Burnham’s Downing Street address. We left for France under one Prime Minister and came back under another. That’s just how it is these days. My first reaction [...]
‘Fantastic news’ as Burnham brings Britain’s AI minister into Cabinet July 21, 2026 Andy Burnham has promoted Kanishka Narayan to a Cabinet position as Britain’s AI minister as part of his first major government reshuffle, handing artificial intelligence its first dedicated seat at the Cabinet table. Narayan will attend Cabinet for the first time after surviving Burnham’s sweeping reshuffle, which saw several senior ministers leave government and the [...]
IHT receipts hit record high as Rachel Reeves’ frozen bands raid plague Brits July 21, 2026 Inheritance tax receipts soared to a record high in the three months to June 2026, as frozen thresholds drag more Brits into the net. Receipts hit £2.3bn over the period, according to the latest figures from HMRC, a £96m increase from the same period last year. In June alone inheritance tax (IHT) receipts totalled £871m [...]