Wednesday newspaper round-up: defence spending, LSEG, Sports Direct

The architect of the UK government’s AI strategy has joined the US startup Anthropic in a senior role a year after stepping down from his Downing Street post. Matt Clifford, a successful tech investor, was appointed as AI opportunities adviser by Keir Starmer last year but resigned from the unpaid role six months later for personal reasons. Clifford is moving to Anthropic as managing director, international affairs, and will lead the company’s engagement with governments outside the US including in the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific and India. – GuardianThe London Stock Exchange is turning to the technology behind cryptocurrencies in an attempt to revive the ailing market. The LSE has unveiled a partnership with Payward, the owner of the crypto firm Kraken, to launch tokenised stocks on its own exchange. The tokens will be listed on the company’s new round-the-clock service LSE 24, which will allow overnight trading on weekdays. – TelegraphSky has accused the TV producer behind The Great British Bake Off of double-counting costs in an escalating legal row about the hit show. Letty Kavanagh, the former managing director of Love Productions, has launched a claim against Sky in the employment tribunal, alleging that the broadcaster drew up misleading financial accounts and then fired her when she blew the whistle. – TelegraphThe owner of Sports Direct has said it will contest a decision by Britain’s advertising regulator to ban an advert that used price comparisons to promote a women’s Puma top. In a statement, Frasers Group described the Advertising Standards Authority ruling, published on Wednesday, as “fundamentally wrong” and argued that the regulator’s approach to so-called retail recommended prices (RRPs) was “out of touch” and dated. – The Times