The government will fast-track legislation to permanently ban fracking in the UK, in a move designed to block Reform UK’s pledge to revive the controversial practice. Ed Miliband, energy secretary, confirmed the ban will be introduced as part of the North Sea transition plan, due this autumn. Any future attempt to restart fracking would require a parliamentary repeal, forcing MPs — many representing constituencies above shale gas deposits — to vote in favour of drilling....
There have been long-standing concerns about the use of Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), particularly relating to sexual harassment allegations. Those concerns have grown with the momentum of the MeToo movement. The use of NDAs stands at a critical crossroads. Imminent and future legal reforms are poised to fundamentally alter their scope and enforceability in the context of discrimination and harassment. NDAs have historically been used as a crucial way of maintaining corporate confidentiality and protecting intellectual...
Nivoda, the B2B diamond and gemstone marketplace, has secured a $60 million financing facility from i80 Group to provide embedded trade credit to jewellery retailers across more than 70 countries. The deal addresses a critical shortage of working capital in the diamond industry after traditional lenders retreated from the sector, leaving small and mid-sized retailers struggling to finance inventory purchases. For more than a decade, the industry has faced a liquidity crunch as banks scaled...
Daniel Ek, the billionaire founder of Spotify and one of Europe’s most successful technology entrepreneurs, is stepping back from the day-to-day running of the company he launched nearly two decades ago. From January 2026, Ek will move into the role of executive chairman, with long-time lieutenants Gustav Soderstrom and Alex Norstrom jointly assuming the position of co-CEOs. The decision comes as Spotify enjoys a new period of stability, with nearly 700 million monthly active users...
House Republicans’ campaign arm is going after Democrats hours after the federal government entered a shutdown at midnight on Wednesday. A new National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) ad being rolled out in 42 battleground districts is aimed at putting pressure on Democratic lawmakers to accept the GOP’s plan and end the shutdown. ‘Democrats refused to fund the government. So now military troops, police and Border Patrol lose their paychecks. Because of Democrats, veterans, farmers, small...
A judicial consensus is forming against climate lawfare, but the U.S. Supreme Court must still end environmental extortion of American energy. In two landmark cases, the court will soon have the opportunity to reassert the federal government’s authority over questions of national energy and environmental policy. Environmental groups believe that energy use increases global temperatures, causes sea levels to rise and creates more destructive weather. Their campaign to curtail energy has taken many forms —...
Royal Mail has announced it will double its apprenticeship support for small businesses, gifting another £1 million of its levy to help SMEs upskill their workforce. The move follows the success of its first £1m funding round, which was oversubscribed earlier this year. The new funding is open to SMEs with up to 250 employees that sell products online. It forms part of Royal Mail Means Business – a nationwide campaign launched to champion UK...
British brands are failing to unlock an estimated $10 billion in value by relying too heavily on short-term marketing tactics and struggling to differentiate themselves, according to the latest Kantar BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable UK Brands report. Globally, brand contributes 33% of company value on average, but in the UK that figure slips to 29%, highlighting a significant gap in long-term brand building. While UK brands are generally well known and successful at meeting...
Cash from the £1.5 million government-backed commercial loan to support Jaguar Land Rover’s supply chain is not reaching smaller suppliers quickly enough, raising fears that many SMEs could collapse before funds filter through. The warning came during a webinar hosted by audit and advisory firm Crowe, where participants highlighted the growing crisis facing UK automotive. ‘Worse than COVID-19’ for many suppliers One contributor described the situation as more damaging than the pandemic: “Nobody outside of...
PPE Medpro has been ordered to repay nearly £122 million to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) after losing its High Court case over the supply of sterile gowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. The company’s principal backer, Doug Barrowman, has responded with a blistering statement accusing the government of political scapegoating and the court of delivering a “travesty of justice”. In her ruling, Mrs Justice Cockerill found that the gowns supplied by PPE...
