Government to axe payment systems regulator as quango purge begins

The body charged with overseeing the regulation of payments systems will be abolished, the government has announced.  The Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) — which governs payment systems like Faster Payments and Mastercard — is set to be consolidated into the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It follows reports of complaints from businesses that the regulatory environment […]

How can government and regulators prioritise growth? Focus on customer service

At the recent Investment Summit, the prime minister set out a challenge to regulators: prioritise mandates that will stimulate economic growth and make Britain the most attractive place to do business. He pledged to make regulation ‘fit for the modern age’, with a promise to scrap regulations which hold back the economy. This pledge will […]

The dangers of jumping the gun on AI regulation

Artificial intelligence is the topic on everyone’s lips. Safety risks are increasing as we approach truly transformative “strong” AI systems, models that could outperform humans in nearly every domain. These models could do tremendous good, like helping develop new cancer drugs or solving fusion, but they could also enable catastrophic harm if misdirected. As we […]

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How long until ‘The House of Commons, sponsored by Gazprom’ shows up before PMQs…?

Comment: Fight For Your Right To Party – how officials are killing off British nightlife

A thriving night time economy is being killed off by overzealous councils and overbearing security

Comment: UK firms need more nudging to respect human rights

Is it time to force UK businesses to implement human rights checks? Thirty per cent of businesses back legal requirements on human rights due diligence.

Comment: How bureaucrats strangled the night-time economy

A thriving night-time economy is being killed off by police and local government

Comment: Criminals are laughing at the government’s corporate ownership register

Have you ever seen someone throw themselves into a brave and valuable project, only to neglect details so important that they risk scuppering the entire enterprise?

Comment: Our regulators are as mad and bad as Mussolini

Big business and regulators are in cahoots to fill their pockets.

Councils ‘turning to PIs’ to dodge surveillance laws

Private investigators operating outside surveillance laws are enjoying a boom period of employment by councils, according to a civil liberties group.