Firm Centre

• The British Polling Council and Market Research Society launched investigations into JL Partners following allegations that the firm broke transparency rules. • The inquiries follow recordings of Reform UK's head of policy, James Orr, and another individual apparently plotting to bypass electoral laws. • These probes threaten the professional standing of JL Partners and could lead to sanctions for violating industry standards on transparency.

British Polling Council and Market Research Society announce inquiries into JL Partners, which has been accused of breaking transparency rulesWhat is the latest finance scandal facing Reform UK?A polling firm at the centre of allegations that Reform UK breached electoral law is being investigated by two industry bodies.JL Partners, which is run by former Conservative aides, has been accused of breaking transparency rules by failing to declare that three separate polls had been commissioned by the party. Continue reading...

Regulations will require new sites to avoid pushing up power prices by building renewable energy plants and minimising water useGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPlanned datacentres around Australia may avoid strict new rules being proposed by Anthony Albanese if they can secure approvals in the coming months, amid growing calls growing for a moratorium.The prime minister is aiming to come to an agreement with national cabinet on federal regulations for datacentres at a meeting on Wednesday. Continue reading...

MTC provided security at heavily criticised Manston centre in Kent and could now make £500m managing the siteA private security company linked to Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown reported a slump in UK revenues after losing an asylum centre contract but could make £500m managing the same facility until 2036.Management & Training Corporation (MTC) said sales fell from £28.4m to £17.6m in 2025 after its contract to provide “security and care” at the heavily criticised Manston site in Kent ended in September. Continue reading...

• SoftBank Group has committed up to €75 billion to develop 5 GW of AI data center capacity in France, though only €45 billion of that investment is currently firm. • The project is distinguished by its massive scale and a strategic partnership with Schneider Electric to integrate data center capacity with onshore manufacturing. • This move expands SoftBank's global AI footprint, complementing its involvement in the $500 billion Stargate initiative with OpenAI and Oracle in the United States.

Legally questionable confidentiality clause adopted almost word for word from demands of Microsoft and trade groupsMicrosoft and other US tech companies successfully lobbied the EU to hide the environmental toll of their datacentres, an investigation has found, with demands to block a database of green metrics from public view written almost word for word into EU rules.The secrecy provision, which the European Commission added to its proposal almost verbatim after industry lobbying in 2024, hinders scrutiny of the pollution that individual datacentres emit. It leaves researchers with just national-level summaries of their energy footprints. Continue reading...