Under Burnham, the boundaries between foreign investment, UK strategic capability and national security are becoming increasingly blurred and the ISU's casework is likely to reflect that in its new home. The UK’s National Security and Investment Act (NSIA) regime has always sat at the intersection of prosperity and security policy. Andy Burnham’s decision to move […]
The UK’s data centre policy and regulatory environment is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. Demand for data centre capacity as part of global AI infrastructure is expected to scale exponentially. The UK government is seeking to establish itself as a global destination for data centre investment, as a route to the growth of the […]
As Ursula von der Leyen peers out of her window on the 13th floor of the Berlaymont building in Brussels, she wouldn’t be blamed for taking the dark December days as an omen for the EU’s situation. The headwinds Pro-European parties have suffered repeated setbacks since the EU elections in June. The elections resulted in a divided […]
Download the PDF version here. The starting gun has been fired and the UK general election campaign is now well underway. Over the coming weeks, the major parties will set out more detail about their respective policy programmes and publish their manifestos. This will include policies on the energy and climate agenda, some of which […]
Ofcom and DSIT are currently engaged in a back-and-forth exchange about categorising which companies will be caught by the additional duties of the Online Safety Act. Naturally there has been a lot of focus on the biggest and most well-known social media platforms operating in the UK. But alongside this, real regulatory concern is emerging […]
Overview The UK’s new post-Brexit subsidy control regime sits against a backdrop of governments across developed economies pursuing more active industrial policy. The UK’s trade partners, most notably the EU, are watching its subsidy regime and decisions closely. There is significant domestic scrutiny too. Those responsible for scrutinising public spending, such as the National Audit […]
Overview Following a year of crisis-fuelled focus on resilience, especially in the energy and water sectors, 2023 will raise an even more difficult question – how do you fund investment in long-term resilience during a period of economic uncertainty? Government budgets are under pressure, and the continuing cost-of-living crisis means there is limited scope to […]
As the immediate energy crisis begins to abate, policymakers are focusing on how to avoid the next one. Rishi Sunak’s Government is focused on achieving energy independence by the 2040s – with a new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero set to lead the charge. Flint’s energy team looks at whether energy independence is […]
A booming market For business and investors seeking to shape the UK’s policy and regulatory framework for electric vehicles (EVs), 2022 is set to be a busy year. EV sales were the auto sector’s standout success story last year. Even with the wider auto market down over 28% compared to pre-covid levels, more electric vehicles […]
The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail: new rules of engagement
The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail has been published almost 4 years after Government initially commissioned Keith Williams to conduct a root and branch review of the rail system. Despite Covid-19 having upended revenue streams in the rail sector, little has changed from the proposals initially trailed by Williams. In part, this shows that the rail […]
Joshua Buckland, Flint Director and former Energy Advisor to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, shares his analysis on the Prime Minister's 10-point climate plan and what it means for businesses and investors.
Building back better: A brief view on whether infrastructure investment will really drive economic recovery
Some brief thoughts on what all the hype about an economic recovery led by infrastructure investment might mean in practice. For those who can’t read on, the key points: Having dealt with the immediate operational challenges thrown up by the pandemic, infrastructure will no doubt be a big part of the Government’s economic response. But […]
