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Trump downplays calls for AI slowdown

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Burnham cancels engagements after death of father
The PM is understood to have cancelled engagements for Monday and Tuesday following the death of his father Roy.

TUC leader calls for ban on crypto donations and says Reform’s £72m shows democracy ‘in crisis’ - UK politics live
Paul Nowak says the donations to Reform UK suggest that Nigel Farage is a ‘politician for sale’ Downing Street has said that the plans to tighten the rules on donating to political parties set out in the representation of the people bill, which has cleared the Commons and starts its passage through the Lords this afternoon, are not “the limit of our ambition for reform”. Speaking at the No 10 lobby briefing, the PM’s spokesperson said: [We] will continue bringing forward further reforms to strengthen confidence in our democracy. Following on from the previous minister for democracy’s letter to you of 10 July 2026, we wanted to reiterate the government’s concerns, shared by many members of the public and parliamentarians, about the rise in the volume and concentration of money in UK politics. We have to limit the way financial power can end up dominating political power, to get to a polit

UK unions split over donations cap as TUC chief says ‘super-rich’ corrupting politics
Sources say there are ‘significant differences’ in opinion as debate inflamed by crypto billionaires’ £72m donations to Reform UK politics live – latest updates The head of Britain’s trade union movement, Paul Nowak, has said the government must act to “stop the super-rich corrupting our politics”, as union leaders met on Monday to discuss possible support for a domestic cap on donations. Union leaders are split on the prospect of limiting domestic donations to political parties , with many including the GMB fearing it would lead a future rightwing government to curb union donations. Continue reading...

There’s a surprisingly simple reason for England’s high antidepressant use: lots of people need them | Dean Burnett
The idea that GPs are ignoring guidelines and ‘overprescribing’ doesn’t hold water. Instead, look to our social and economic crises Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience A new NHS report has revealed the highest ever levels of antidepressant use recorded in England, with roughly one in seven people prescribed an antidepressant item in 2025-26. This has resulted in a swathe of media coverage expressing alarm over the increase, with questions about what could, or should, be done to reverse the trend. Such a high level of antidepressant use should, of course, prompt concern and reflection. But the popular claim that has taken hold is that antidepressant use is too high because of “ overprescribing ”, as Dr John Read, a professor of clinical psychology, says in the Daily Mail. This is the idea that patients are being prescribed antidepressants when they shouldn’t be, or when better, safer

What you need to know about the huge donations to Reform UK
Chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman explains who's behind Reform UK's £72m in donations.

UK MPs and Lords call for new laws to tackle AI threat to human rights
Warning follows series of safety incidents, with committee saying threats include public face-scanning and deepfakes UK politics live – latest updates British lawmakers are demanding more restrictions on the power of AI, warning the world is unprepared for the “potentially dire” consequences of the technology, in the latest sign of rising global concern. A new regulatory framework is needed for AI in the UK, including an independent oversight body and legislation to protect the public, according to the cross-party joint committee on human rights, comprising MPs and Lords. Continue reading...