Five must-read stories from the intersection of tech, business and politics

From rumours of a private equity buy-out of BT, to the renewed search for a government chief digital officer, here are the key developments so far this week. By NS Tech.

OneWeb Satellites director dashes hopes that £400m deal will lead to UK reshoring

A director of the company that builds OneWeb’s satellites has cast doubt on speculation that the government’s new £400m stake in the company could see production being relocated to Britain.

 

A BT private equity buy-out would sound the death knell for full fibre broadband

A rumoured private equity buy-out of BT would spell disaster for the UK’s chances of ever rolling out full fibre broadband, as Laurie Clarke reports.

 

Home Office hands IBM £7m police database deal without competitive tender

The Home Office has handed IBM a £7m contract to support the development of a controversial police ‘mega-database’. It is the latest in a series of multimillion pound tech deals awarded without a competitive tender during the pandemic.

 

UK army plans to scrap tanks in favour of cyber warfare tech

The British army is thinking about scrapping its greying fleet of 227 Challenger 2 tanks in a push to modernise its arsenal for the dystopian future of warfare, according to reports.

 

UK renews search for ‘government chief digital officer’

 The government is renewing its search for a chief digital officer to work across Whitehall, after two previous recruitment drives failed to attract an appropriate candidate.