By kav
A Government proposal to cut business rates by 20% for pubs, clubs and live music venues will provide the night time economy with ‘welcome breathing space’, says top Corporate lawyer. Marti Burgess, a Corporate law expert at Knights, believes that while the proposal, unveiled by Prime Minister Andy Burnham today, will provide some relief to…
By kav
The UK Government has recently published its National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA) Annual Report 2025-2026 (the Report), highlighting key trends in the UK’s Foreign Direct Investment regime. If you haven’t had time to read it, here are our key observations. Defence remains the most scrutinised sector Defence remains the dominant sector for notifications,…
By kav
Andy Burnham used his first speech as Prime Minister to set out a promise of major change, describing the moment as a “circuit breaker for Britain”. Since the former Mayor of Manchester announced his intentions to stand for the country’s highest office, speculation has been mounting over what a Burnham-led Government could mean for the UK…
By kav
On 24 February 2025, the Procurement Act 2023 (‘the Act’) came into force. The aim of this legislation was to consolidate and simplify the various parts of the previous procurement regime and to create a more flexible system with enhanced transparency. Contributors: Fleur Turrington, Richard Tomlinson, Chris Prossor What has changed under the Procurement Act 2023? Previously, one…
By kav
The number of people in the UK proactively using a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool has almost doubled in the last two years. With increased usage, comes increased risk. A simple copy-and-paste into an AI tool could turn into a data breach and result in an opponent being granted access to legally privileged documents and…
By alex wb
Alongside the introduction of enhanced collective consultation obligations and trade union rights, April 2026 will also see the protective award for failure to consult on large-scale redundancies double. Now is the time to start putting preparations in place to ensure compliance. Micro Focus Ltd v. Mildenhall [2025] – the duty to consult on mass redundancies…
By alex wb
UK moves to single sanctions list to simplify checks Alongside the issuing of new guidance for reporting trade sanction breaches, the UK Sanctions List and Consolidated List of Asset Freeze Targets have been subsumed into a single sanctions list. While streamlining processes for companies, the move also presents a host of compliance considerations. On 28…
By alex wb
A court case has highlighted the fine line businesses have to tread when selling modified versions of third-party goods, with a careful balance to be struck between capitalising on the commercial advantages of the goods’ origin, and avoiding falsely implying a commercial connection. AGA Rangemaster Group Ltd v. UK Innovations Group Ltd On 15 December…
By alex wb
Delayed: Companies House delays implementation of compulsory verification and registration for Authorised Corporate Service Providers (ACSPs) November 2025 saw the beginning of a phased implementation for compulsory Companies House identity verification checks to come into force. Requirements originally anticipated to come in by spring 2026 have now been delayed until at least November – but…
By alex wb
While agentic AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a useful tool for optimising processes, it also brings with it a host of opportunities for private data to be compromised – making it crucial for businesses to be informed of the risks and how to strike the delicate balance between embracing progress and ensuring protection. What the Information…