The Festival of Words: From Gyles Brandreth to Anthony Scaramucci – all you need to know about the Fleet Street Quarter festival
UK eyes London expansion for Anthropic after US defence clash April 5, 2026 The government is looking to lure AI giant Anthropic to expand its presence in the UK, in a bid to capitalise on the start-up’s clash with the US defence deparment. First reported in the Financial Times, staff at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) have sketched out proposals for the $380bn (£287.4bn) company, [...]
M&S boss: Sadiq Khan is soft on crime April 3, 2026 Marks and Spencer has hit out at the Mayor of London for being soft on crime, after crowds of young people have targeted London shops in the past week. Thinus Keeve, the supermarket’s retail director, has called on Sadiq Khan to crack down on violent disorder against retailers, after a Marks and Spencer (M&S) shop [...]
Sadiq Khan to be handed peerage March 27, 2026 Sadiq Khan is poised to be handed a peerage as part of an effort from Keir Starmer to placate one of the loudest Labour party critics of his stuttering administration. According to reports, the London mayor is one of several contenders in line to be elevated to the UK’s second chamber after May’s local elections, [...]
Peter Kyle hints at push for EU customs union return March 25, 2026 Business and trade secretary Peter Kyle suggested joining the EU’s customs union could improve the UK’s economic prospects, with new data suggesting that trade flows in London boomed last year. After being asked twice whether war in the Middle East provided a stronger case for the UK to join the customs union, Kyle refused to [...]
If Reeves wants Britain to lead in AI, she must offer tax incentives March 25, 2026 The government is aware of the levers it’s able to pull to compete on AI: planning, electricity connections, visas, higher education policy, direct subsidies. But where’s tax? Asks Tim Sarson A couple of weeks ago one of those mini news stories came along, the sort that is so neatly zeitgeisty that it demands further consideration. [...]
Coe urged to stand for London Mayor in move that could hit Manchester United March 24, 2026 Lord Coe has been urged to challenge Sadiq Khan in the race to be London Mayor in a move that could cast doubt on his ability to help Manchester United build their new stadium. Two-time Olympic champion and former Tory MP Coe is the current president of World Athletics, but is being urged to take [...]
Sadiq Khan urges Labour to back return to EU March 19, 2026 Sadiq Khan has called for Labour to campaign for the UK to rejoin the European Union, days after Rachel Reeves delivered one of the most Europhile speeches since Brexit. The London Mayor said his party should move beyond discussions about access to the single market or joining the customs union by 2030, and instead move [...]
A Requiem for the Boris Bus March 19, 2026 Sadiq Khan’s decision to scrap the iconic ‘New Bus for London’ is about politics not practicalities, writes James Ford London’s fleet of red buses are iconic. Like black taxis, Beefeaters and red post boxes they are a globally recognised visual shorthand for the capital. And, for better or worse, Mayors of London come to be [...]
Sadiq Khan invites Anthropic to move to London March 6, 2026 Sadiq Khan has sent Anthropic’s chief executive Dario Amodei an invitation to move to London after the AI giant’s spat with President Trump. In a letter to the Anthropic boss, the mayor of London praised the company over its “steadfastness” against pressure after it refused to give the US military access to its tools over [...]
Oxford Street regeneration a complex undertaking for City Hall March 5, 2026 The centrepiece of shopping in the capital is set for a major makeover, after London mayor Sadiq Khan set out his long-mooted plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street on Wednesday. The plan will transform the makeup of central London and bring huge opportunities for retailers, but the proposal – particularly its computer-generated elements – leave plenty [...]