Gambling Commission costs doubled to £28.8m as Richard Desmond sues over the National Lottery licence in a £1.3bn High Court case starting in October.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘bust by Christmas’ warning questioned after £36m jobs cull at Manchester United
Manchester United cut 400 jobs at a £36m cost but posted record £666m revenue, raising doubts over Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s “bust by Christmas” warning.
Murdoch and Dell said to join US consortium for TikTok takeover, Trump claims
President Trump says Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, along with Michael Dell and Larry Ellison, are expected to join a U.S. group buying TikTok’s U.S. operations from ByteDance amid national security concerns.
Vodafone franchisees raised mental health concerns years before £120m legal claim
Franchisees warned Vodafone in 2020 that commission cuts were damaging their wellbeing, four years before launching a £120m High Court case against the telecoms giant.
Policymakers urge Rachel Reeves to tax wealthier pensioners to stabilise public finances
Leading economists and policymakers have urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to rebalance the tax system towards wealthier older people, introduce stamp duty reform and boost investment to tackle a £30bn fiscal gap.
BMW sets aside £200m for UK car finance mis-selling claims
BMW’s UK finance arm has boosted provisions to £207m as the FCA prepares a compensation scheme for car loan mis-selling, with lenders facing up to £18bn in payouts.
British firms ‘falling behind global rivals’ in adopting AI, warns government adviser
Matt Clifford, architect of the UK’s AI action plan, warns that British firms risk losing ground to global competitors as AI adoption lags across key sectors.
US collects $1.36bn in tariffs on British goods as Trump’s trade duties bite
US tariffs on UK goods have surged sixfold to $1.36bn in four months, with British manufacturers squeezed despite a new trade deal. China remains the top target.
Trump suggests networks critical of him could lose licences amid Kimmel fallout
President Donald Trump says TV networks that criticise him should “maybe” have their US broadcast licences revoked, raising concerns over free speech and regulatory overreach.
Blackburn tour operator jailed after £100k Covid loan fraud
Blackburn businessman Raja Imtiaz has been jailed for over two years after fraudulently securing two £50k Bounce Back Loans during the Covid pandemic.
Nvidia to invest $500m in UK self-driving start-up Wayve
Nvidia will invest $500m in UK-based Wayve, boosting AI mobility innovation as part of wider funding pledges including Revolut and Synthesia during Trump’s UK visit.
Rising shop assaults deter young workers as retailers face recruitment crisis
Retailers warn staff shortages are worsening as fear of violence and soaring shoplifting incidents deter young people from taking jobs on the high street.
Deliveroo founder Will Shu steps down after £200m payday as DoorDash takeover looms
Deliveroo founder Will Shu to leave after pocketing nearly £200m from the £2.7bn sale to DoorDash, ending the food delivery app’s turbulent four years on the LSE.
Massive Attack pull music from Spotify over founder’s defence ties
Massive Attack ask Universal to remove their work from Spotify globally and from all streaming platforms in Israel, citing CEO’s investment in drone-defence technology.
Barclays launches new finance facility to help farmers transition to sustainable practices
Barclays has launched its new Farm Transition Finance scheme, offering discounted loans to UK farmers adopting sustainable and regenerative practices, with eligibility linked to recognised certifications and supply chain programmes.
