Robotaxi rules row drives Waymo-Uber rift ahead of London launch July 28, 2026 A row over how robotaxis should be regulated has become one of the main reasons relations between Waymo and Uber have deteriorated, sources familiar with the matter told Morning Wire, as the companies prepare to launch rival autonomous taxi services in London. At the heart of the ride-hailers’ dispute is whether new rules should favour [...]
Industry hits out at rumours as No 10 denies plan to abolish stamp duty and council tax July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham is “not considering” scrapping stamp duty and council tax, Downing Street has said, as the government moves to pour cold water on rumours of major tax changes that had spooked property sector leaders. Business chiefs condemned the government over the danger of property tax speculation after reports over the weekend suggested that Burnham [...]
Burnham and Healey face investor fury over summer of tax speculation July 27, 2026 Andy Burnham and John Healey are contending with a growing backlash from investors after another summer of tax speculation looks set to leave financial managers on edge. The chief executive of one of the UK’s biggest investment platforms, AJ Bell, urged Chancellor Healey to take a more emphatic approach on ruling out tax hikes across [...]
If SailGP steers towards ultra-aspirational audience it will soar July 27, 2026 Having spent two days consuming SailGP in Portsmouth, Matt Hardy looks at what’s next for the series dubbed F1 on water Akin to a horde of middle aged parents at an Algarve all-inclusive, an eager line forms within eyesight of prime real estate with hundreds ready to grab the best spot. But rather than being [...]
AI, drones and data: Defence giants splash record $4.1bn on tech start-ups July 27, 2026 Investment in defence tech start-ups has reached a record high this year as the world’s biggest arms companies step up spending on new military technology. New figures from Dealroom show defence contractors including BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Airbus have participated in $4.1bn (£3bn) of venture capital funding rounds so far this year, the highest [...]
Triumph for Tesla as top court rules 5G licensing case should be heard in UK July 27, 2026 The UK’s highest court has given the green light for Tesla to revive a lawsuit over 5G licensing in its electric cars, after the case was previously dismissed by a panel of judges three years ago. Elon Musk’s carmaker, one of the largest global manufacturers of electric vehicles, sued Avanci, a Texan company that supplies [...]
Italy Pirlo hire off after Russian betting firm links revealed July 27, 2026 Italy’s plans to name Andrea Pirlo manager of their national football team have been scrapped after his links with a Russian betting firm were criticised by politicians. Pirlo, the 47-year-old manager of Dubai United, has been a global ambassador for Fonbet since October and was all but confirmed for the Italy job despite no official [...]
Iwoca closes bumper debt facility as sale speculation mounts July 27, 2026 Small business lender Iwoca has inked a new £250m debt facility that will help it ramp up its lending power just days after it emerged it had instructed bankers to launch a sale process valuing it at north of £1bn. The fintech closed the credit line from a household name bank and private credit giant [...]
AI Minister: Visa reform key to keeping tech giants in Britain July 27, 2026 AI Minister Kanishka Narayan renewed calls for more visas for top engineers, arguing that the UK will need to do more to help tech companies scale at home rather than sell overseas. In his first interview since joining Andy Burnham’s cabinet, Narayan said he would use his seat at the top table to push for [...]
Exclusive: Jobs lost across Labour’s ‘growth potential’ sectors in blow to Burnham July 27, 2026 In a blow to the government’s plans to boost employment, eight sectors previously identified as having high growth potential in Labour’s industrial strategy have suffered job losses, according to a report seen by Morning Wire. The so-called ‘IS-8’ sectors, which include life sciences, financial services and defence, were singled out by the UK government last [...]