5 top UK news stories today (10 April 2026)

Here’s your UK news roundup for Friday (10 April 2026):

OpenAI shelves Stargate UK in blow to Britain’s AI ambitions

OpenAI has put on hold plans for a landmark UK investment citing high energy costs and regulation, in a blow to the government which has put AI at the centre of its growth strategy. Stargate UK was a part of the UK-US AI deal announced last September, in which US companies appeared to commit £31bn to the UK’s tech sector, part of a larger series of investments intended to “mainline AI” into the British economy. It came as the Labour government seeks to make AI and datacentres the engine of its growth plans, alongside closer ties with Europe and regional growth. [Guardian]

EU fingerprint and photo travel rules come into force

The EU’s new digital border system which requires fingerprints and photos alongside a passport scan is set to be fully operational from Friday. This was the deadline for the Entry/Exit System or EES, to be active at every Schengen border crossing point in all 29 participating countries. The system began being gradually introduced from October to strengthen security and ultimately make travel smoother, though due to some hiccups, not every point will be fully rolling it out. There have been long queues at some European airports and warnings that delays could be worse during busy holiday periods. [BBC]

More specialist police patrols to be introduced

Extra specialist police officers will be deployed to protect vulnerable communities across the UK in the wake of recent high-profile attacks on Muslim and Jewish communities. An additional £5 million in funding is being allocated to Project Servator, a nationwide scheme aimed at protecting communities through “highly visible” and “unpredictable” police deployments, the Home Office said. The specialist officers are trained to spot suspicious activity and identify individuals who are preparing to commit serious crimes, including acts of terrorism. [Sky News]

Demand soars for central London offices

The demand for central London office space is soaring while vacant buildings are piling up on the fringes of the capital. The vacancy rate – which is a key indicator of demand – of central London offices has fallen to its lowest level in this decade as occupiers target prime locations like the City and the West End. The vanishingly low rate of spare office space in central London means companies are having to fork out eye-watering rents but has driven soaring demand, in good news for developers and investors. [CityAM]