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UK manufacturing rebounds as activity reaches two-month high. The latest PMI from S&P Global indicates a rise in business activity, with manufacturing hitting a 13-month high. However, the economy remains fragile, with concerns over falling exports and upcoming budget impacts.
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OpenAI partners with UK Ministry of Justice to enhance AI use. The agreement allows 2,500 civil servants to access ChatGPT, aiming to modernise public services. It forms part of the UK’s AI Action Plan, enhancing sovereign AI capabilities and increasing efficiency.
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UK financial system faces rising geopolitical and cyber threats. Nikhil Rathi, FCA Chief Executive, warns of inadequate preparedness against threats affecting financial stability, insurance coverage, and systemic risks, urging enhanced collaboration and investment to bolster resilience and operational strength.
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Labour considers granting unions weekly workplace access, facing criticism. The proposed Employment Rights Bill could fine employers up to £75,000 for denying union access. Critics argue it empowers unions excessively, while supporters claim it benefits workers in insecure jobs.
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The UK’s tech ambition demands more than innovation. It must be secure by design. Sabeen Malik, VP of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy at Rapid7, argues that voluntary security codes will not deliver the resilience Britain needs. True progress depends on mandatory, measurable frameworks developed through meaningful public–private collaboration.
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MPs urge urgent AI upskilling for civil servants. A new report highlights digital skill gaps in government leading to inefficiencies. Upskilling is essential for effective AI use and improved public services, warns the Public Accounts Committee.
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Sixty per cent of security leaders see supply chain risks as unmanageable. A new IO study reveals that confidence in cybersecurity response far exceeds real-world resilience, as 61 per cent of organisations suffered third-party breaches in the past year, driving financial losses and customer disruption across the board.
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A new report quantifies Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber losses. The attack’s £1.9 billion economic cost reflects six weeks of halted production and supply-chain disruption across more than 5,000 UK businesses, prompting emergency government support and redefining the financial scale of industrial cyber risk in Britain.
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JCB CEO warns against harmful tax increases in upcoming Budget. Graeme Macdonald expresses concern over potential tax hikes affecting inward investment and British business, joining growing number of business figures voicing concern ahead of November’s budget.
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UK inflation held at 3.8% for the third straight month. Annual consumer price inflation remained unchanged in September, according to the Office for National Statistics — extending a run of above-target readings that continues to test monetary and fiscal policy alike.