PPE Medpro defends itself in a £122m High Court case, arguing that the UK government approved its gowns during Covid-19 and is now wrongly scapegoating the firm for its own procurement failures.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Firstgroup quietly ends long-running employee director policy
FirstGroup, once a pioneer of employee representation on boards, has scrapped its employee director role amid business restructuring—marking a setback for the worker voice movement.
Record fall in British exports to US as Trump tariffs bite
UK exports to the US dropped by £2bn in April — the steepest monthly fall since 1997 — following President Trump’s new tariffs. Trade front-loading in Q1 gave way to sharp decline.
Poundland sold for just £1 as up to 200 stores face closure amid major restructuring
High Street favourite Poundland sold for £1 to Gordon Brothers in a bid to stabilise the business, with up to 200 stores at risk of closure and 16,000 jobs hanging in the balance.
Disney and Universal sue AI firm Midjourney over ‘bottomless pit of plagiarism’
Disney and Universal have filed a landmark lawsuit against AI image generator Midjourney, accusing the San Francisco-based company of large-scale copyright infringement and calling its tools a “bottomless pit of plagiarism”.
Gold surpasses euro as second-largest global reserve asset, says ECB
Gold has overtaken the euro as the world’s second-largest reserve asset after the US dollar, driven by geopolitical risks and central banks seeking safe-haven diversification, says the ECB.
UK economy contracts 0.3% in April as growth momentum stalls
UK GDP shrank by 0.3% in April, worse than expected, with services and manufacturing sectors in decline. Economists warn of a slowing economy after early-year export surge.
Government’s spending surge to trigger significant tax rises, says leading advisory firm
Blick Rothenberg warns tax rises are inevitable to fund spending increases in the latest UK Spending Review, including defence, training and energy projects.
Michelle Mone-linked PPE firm faces £122m high court battle with government
A high-stakes legal battle begins at the High Court today as the UK government seeks to recover £122 million from PPE Medpro, a company awarded Covid-era contracts following a recommendation from Conservative peer Michelle Mone.
Sizewell C secures £14.2bn state boost – but energy savings won’t come for a decade
The UK government has pledged £14.2bn for Sizewell C nuclear plant, promising future energy savings and jobs. But critics warn of soaring costs, delays, and an unclear path to completion.
EG group profits plummet from $1.4bn to $10m following Asda forecourt sale
EG Group sees profits drop from $1.4bn to just $10m after selling UK forecourts to Asda, as operational focus shifts and revenue dips across global markets.
Global economy faces bleak outlook as World Bank warns of worst decade since 1960s
The world economy is on course for its weakest decade of growth since the 1960s, according to a stark warning from the World Bank, which downgraded global forecasts and pointed to mounting turmoil in US trade policy as a key drag on recovery.
Entrepreneur turned away from London Tech Week for bringing baby sparks industry backlash
Davina Schonle, founder of Humanvantage AI, says she was left “humiliated” after being refused entry to London Tech Week for bringing her baby — prompting criticism of outdated attitudes in the tech industry.
‘Blazing the trail for others’: easyJet founder Sir Stelios awards £300,000 to disabled entrepreneurs transforming care, baking and logistics
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has awarded £300,000 to three disabled entrepreneurs in the 2024 Stelios Awards, recognising inspirational leaders in care, baking, and logistics.
M&S reopens online orders after cyberattack disruption
Marks & Spencer has resumed online orders for fashion items nearly two months after a major cyberattack, though full services will return in phases over the coming weeks.
