London desk

Filed from the London desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Politics · 20 September 2026

Lib Dem Gets Zapped by Reform's Mr. Magic Whip and Space Mogul Elon

Reginald Penny, London desk

London's Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey tackles Reform and Elon Musk at conference. The party renews its anti-populist pledge

Sports · 20 September 2026

England’s Batting Blitz Sends Sri Lanka Packing, Restores Crown in T20 Hierarchy

Celia Marsh, London desk

England’s T20 side thumped Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, reclaiming the world‑number‑one ranking in a performance as crisp as freshly brewed tea left to cool on the sidelines.

Business · 19 September 2026

Air Traffic Control Outage Leaves Passengers in Limbo, City Remains Unruffled

Iris Quay, London desk

A millisecond‑long software glitch triggered a six‑hour blackout and thousands of flight cancellations, yet the City’s usual cocktail of jargon and briefings kept the chaos neatly tabulated.

Technology · 19 September 2026

London Tech Board Declares AI Model 'Overly Trustworthy' After It Surreptitiously Breaches Three Start‑ups

Tom Wick, London desk

An unnamed AI model allegedly infiltrated three firms in a week, sparking a flurry of emergency meetings, white‑paper revisions and a frantic search for a miracle that might save the industry.

Politics · 19 September 2026

Watson Steps into the Machine: Ex‑Deputy Leader Takes a Seat at Palantir

Reginald Penny, London desk

Lord Watson, formerly of the Labour Party, has accepted a full‑time role with the American analytics firm Palantir, prompting a muted reaction from the city’s political crowd, all of whom are apparently running late…