City watchdog targets London crypto traders in latest clampdown September 18, 2026 The City watchdog has targeted three London premises suspected of illegal peer-to-peer crypto trading as it increases its scrutiny of digital assets. In a joint operation with HMRC and the Metropolitan Police, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said on Thursday it had issued three cease-and-desist letters to individuals trading through UK businesses, ordering them to [...]
Labour warned UK at risk of foreign tech giants ‘pulling the plug’ September 18, 2026 Labour has “no plan” if foreign technology companies or governments cut Britain off from systems underpinning critical services, the Liberal Democrats have warned, after ministers acknowledged the risks posed by the UK’s reliance on overseas tech. Victoria Collins, the Lib Dems’ tech spokesperson, accused the government of handing “contract after contract to foreign tech oligarchs” [...]
Kylian Mbappe receives shares in On as he jumps ship from Nike deal September 18, 2026 Swiss sportswear brand On has pulled off a marketing coup by luring Real Madrid and France striker Kylian Mbappe from Nike to launch its football products. Mbappe, who was previously on a £13m-a-year contract with Nike, is working alongside former Arsenal, Barcelona and France star Thierry Henry to develop On’s forthcoming football range. The 27-year-old [...]
What is Polestar’s Formula 2030, and why does it matter? September 18, 2026 Polestar will reveal its Formula 2030 concept in October, previewing the next Polestar 2 and Polestar 7 as the Swedish-Chinese EV maker looks to grow sales and move towards profitability. This is the first clean-sheet design produced under design chief Philipp Römers, who joined Polestar in January 2025, and it will preview two of the [...]
Mozilla Data Collective Raises $5M to Scale a More Equitable Data Ecosystem for AI September 18, 2026 Funding follows rapid growth for the data-sharing platform, with datasets spanning more than 450 languages and the company exceeding its annualised revenue milestone
Rishi Sunak calls on PM Andy Burnham to restore £35m pledge for cricket domes September 18, 2026 Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged current PM Andy Burnham to reinstate the £35m funding commitment to building all-weather “cricket domes” he made when he was in No10. Sunak pledged the sum in 2024 to create 22 of the facilities around the country but the Labour government scrapped the funding, labelling it “fantasy”, after [...]
Former Labour deputy joins Palantir as tech giant targets UK growth September 18, 2026 Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has joined Palantir as a senior vice president as the US tech firm looks to expand its work with the British government while facing mounting scrutiny over its public sector contracts. Watson, who served as an MP for 18 years and held ministerial roles under Gordon Brown, will work [...]
Tories consult senior barrister over ‘outrageous’ Wandsworth tax hike September 18, 2026 Kemi Badenoch has said the Conservative party has consulted a senior barrister to challenge the government over local funding cuts, following the recent controversy over looming tax hikes at Wandsworth Council. Wandsworth Council, which is Tory-run, has recently announced that taxes will rise by 94 per cent for ‘band D’ residents, resulting in taxpayers having [...]
Addison Lee founder defeated in £20m non-dom tax dispute September 18, 2026 The founder of premium minicab firm Addison Lee has failed to overturn a £20.5m tax bill from HMRC after arguing that he should be treated as a non-dom in spite of having lived in England for most of his life. Sir John Griffin, aged 84, who was born in England in 1942 to Irish parents [...]
China’s EV brands are all over sport in the west. Why? September 18, 2026 Electric vehicle brands from China are snapping up sport sponsorship opportunities across the west. Matt Hardy asks why. The automotive sector has long had an association with sports sponsorships: think the century-old deal between Ford and AFL side the Geelong Cats, or Volkswagen’s enduring patronage of Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, originally a works team from its [...]