Rugby needs its Premier League to step up and take control, Raine says June 9, 2026 Merchant bank Raine Group has warned that professional rugby is not big enough for “five or six leagues” and that it is “time for someone to put the hammer down” and become the sport’s equivalent to the Premier League. Rugby union has been going through a crisis of late, with different leagues using different structures [...]
CBI: 200,000 more Brits to face unemployment this year as growth crumbles June 9, 2026 The UK economy is set for further pain in the months ahead, a top business group has warned, as consumers and businesses across the country suffer the effects of the Iran conflict, surging energy prices and a raft of government tax hikes. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said that around 200,000 more Brits [...]
Heatwave boost for retailers as Brits snapped up BBQs and fans June 9, 2026 The late-May heatwave offered a much-needed boost for retailers as the hot weather prompted red-hot spending on barbecues, fans and sandals. Retail sales in the UK jumped by 3.7 per cent year on year in May, soaring above the full-year average of two per cent, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Many Brits opted [...]
Money20/20 Europe Celebrates Ten Years of Industry Leadership as AI, Digital Assets and Financial Sovereignty Take Centre Stage June 8, 2026 Money20/20, the world’s leading fintech show and the place where money does business, celebrated a major milestone with its 10th Europe edition, convening more than 7,500 attendees, one in three at C-suite level, and over 2,300 companies from over 105 countries in Amsterdam, for three days of industry-defining announcements, strategic partnerships, and dealmaking that set [...]
Heinz sandwich ‘automat’ to flog sarnies in Soho for just 57p June 8, 2026 Heinz will next week launch a pop-up “sandwich automat” in Soho, where it will sell 800 sarnies for just 57p a pop – making it quite possibly the cheapest lunch in London. The two-day takeover of 15 Bateman Street is timed to coincide with the start of National Picnic Week, giving Londoners a snack to [...]
London Tech Week day one: AI talk has come back down to earth June 8, 2026 AI conversations are no longer about possibility, but infrastructure, writes Russ Shaw in day one of his London Tech Week diary.
‘We’ve got lots of things going for us America doesn’t’: Sadiq Khan on competing with Silicon Valley June 8, 2026 Sadiq Khan has claimed that shifting political dynamics in the US are actively driving tech talent and venture capital to the UK, arguing that London possesses structural and cultural advantages that “America doesn’t” as he seeks to position the capital against Silicon Valley. The Mayor of London announced a new £12m investment programme on Monday [...]
Jeremy Hunt: Pension triple lock is an ‘anchor drag’ on economic growth June 8, 2026 Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt has warned that the triple lock on the state pension is acting as “an anchor drag on economic growth.” In an interview with City AM, Hunt said that above-inflation rises to the state pension are being funded “by more debt” on future generations and called for every major party to pledge [...]
Labour bets £1.1bn on Britain’s AI chip race June 8, 2026 Keir Starmer’s government has unveiled a £1.1bn package aimed at turning Britain into a global AI hardware powerhouse, with ministers backing domestic chipmakers and pouring capital into training the next generation of engineers. The new AI Hardware Plan, announced at London Tech Week by tech secretary Liz Kendall, includes £750m for a new national AI [...]
Government warned ‘unworkable’ new healthy food rules will backfire June 8, 2026 The food and drink industry has warned Labour its new healthy food red tape will backfire, as manufacturers insist they are already investing millions in making products healthier. Food and drink manufacturers are racing to prove to the government that they are cutting salt, sugar and calories from their products – as Labour plans to [...]