News 14/09/26

A cross-party committee of MPs and peers has warned that artificial intelligence poses significant human rights risks that existing laws cannot handle.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights called for new legislation to address the scale of threats, with chair Alex Sobel MP stating no country currently has regulatory framework fit for purpose. It follows proposals by US firm Anthropic’s head Dario Amodei for global AI regulation.

The government has announced the biggest overhaul of school meals in England for over a decade, banning deep-fried food and boosting fresh produce, wholegrains, and fibre.

Coming into force in 2027 using existing school funds, the standards will apply to breakfast clubs for the first time. The Association of School and College Leaders welcomed the changes but warned they must not become an extra burden for headteachers.

The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has called for a culture shift in UK business, urging government to back entrepreneurs and grant local leaders powers to collaborate with industry.

Ahead of meeting chief executives from major firms including BP, Shell, and HSBC at Downing Street, Burnham faces ongoing business criticism following previous employer National Insurance and minimum wage increases introduced under Sir Keir Starmer.

The House of Lords is set to debate political donation laws after Reform UK received seventy-two million pounds from two expat billionaires within twenty-four hours.

Peers will consider government plans to introduce a backdated one-hundred-thousand-pound cap on overseas British donors. Trade union leaders have backed limits on individual contributions, prompting Nigel Farage’s party to accuse the government of attempting to rig the system.