Payments watchdog won’t be abolished ‘any earlier than 2027’ February 4, 2026 The boss of the payments watchdog has said he doesn’t expect the regulator to be officially abolished any earlier than the first quarter of 2027 as criticism grows over the slow progress of reforms in the sector. David Geale, managing director at the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), said he had “not seen the outcome” of [...]
Broncos owner Lockyer: Being on BBC means we’re a club of topic February 4, 2026 The rebirth of London Broncos will take its next step this weekend when their match against Super League club Bradford Bulls is shown on the BBC. The Challenge Cup is seen as a target for the only major rugby league club south of Warrington, who last year were purchased by NRL rugby league legend Darren [...]
Ras Al Khaimah Ruler Awards Sheikh Saud International Prize for Materials Science at IWAM 2026 February 4, 2026 Prize underscores Emirate’s global commitment to science, innovation and advanced materials research
AMD’s AI push gathers pace behind Nvidia February 4, 2026 Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) delivered another quarter of rapid growth, beating Wall Street forecasts on both revenue and earnings. Yet its shares tumbled as investors weighed what the numbers mean in a market still dominated by chip giant Nvidia. The chipmaker reported fourth quarter revenue of $10.27bn (£7.49bn), up 34 per cent year on year, [...]
Bank of England to avoid signalling faster interest rate cuts February 4, 2026 The Bank of England will not signal a faster pace of interest rate cuts over the coming months to combat jobs market woes across the UK economy, with some economists fearing it could send markets mixed messages on monetary policy. Markets expect interest rates to be held at 3.75 per cent on Thursday due to [...]
UK Retailers Eye Online Growth as AI Transforms Shopping and Delivery February 4, 2026 80% of UK retailers expect online sales growth in 2026 as AI enhances end-to-end customer experiences
Voters think defections help Reform UK – and harm the Tories February 4, 2026 Voters believe that political defections made by the likes of Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman will help Reform UK in elections – and damage the Conservatives. The latest City AM/Freshwater Strategy poll of UK voters has found that 44 per cent think the recent defections will increase Reform’s chances at the next general election, compared [...]
Political uncertainty leaves British businesses only planning year-to-year February 4, 2026 Businesses are seeing political change and regulatory uncertainty as a barrier to long-term workforce planning, making it harder for leaders to implement effective workforce strategies. Nearly 80 per cent of employers find themselves unable to look beyond a 12-month horizon, according to a survey of nearly 700 employers by law firm Lewis Silkin. Lucy Lewis, [...]
Lime policy chief: Retime traffic lights to make London cyclists safer February 4, 2026 London should follow Copengahen and Amsterdam by retiming traffic lights to reward safe cyclists, writes Lime policy director Hal Stevenson.
Fix Hammersmith Bridge to jolt Britain out of degrowth daydream February 4, 2026 The seven-year closure of Hammersmith Bridge is emblematic of British decline. The government must now take responsibility, says Neil Garratt “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” We might picture a bewhiskered Victorian Londoner contemplating those words in Arthur Conan Doyle’s latest novel, The Sign of the Four, [...]