The Trump family’s media company is to sell banks and trading firms high-speed access to the US president’s social media posts, meaning the announcements that have repeatedly moved global markets will reach paying algorithms milliseconds before they reach anyone else.

Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) unveiled the paid-for, licensed data feed on Thursday, promising banks and trading houses “the fastest” access to posts from influential accounts on Truth Social, its social media app.

The product, called Truth API, will deliver posts from the platform’s ten most influential accounts in “milliseconds”, significantly faster than a regular push notification, according to a company spokesperson.

Why should a business owner in Birmingham care about the plumbing of Wall Street data feeds? Because Trump, who has 12.9 million followers on Truth Social, regularly uses the platform to announce government policy, including news about tariffs and trade restrictions.

Those posts have moved markets before officials have finished drafting the accompanying paperwork. Tariff announcements have rattled currency markets and swung the pound, and the resulting duties are still squeezing British exporters eighteen months into the second Trump administration.

In practice, the UK firm hedging its dollar exposure, fixing input prices or watching its pension scheme will now be reacting to news that paying machines have already traded on.

TMTG says the feed is designed for organisations “most impacted by the cost of a delay in information”, such as algorithmic trading firms. Until now, “firms that prioritise tracking influential Truth posts have relied on manual monitoring”, it added.

It is the latest attempt to squeeze revenue from the platform, following plans to integrate artificial intelligence into Truth Social and ventures into streaming and cryptocurrency.

The family connection is what has raised eyebrows. The Trump family is TMTG’s biggest shareholder: the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust holds about 114.75 million shares, around 41 per cent of the company’s outstanding stock, according to regulatory filings. Some of the most-followed accounts on Truth Social belong to the president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump.

Ethics watchdogs were quick to criticise the mixing of the family’s business interests with the president’s influence and access to information.

Daniel Lobo-Lewis, co-founder of the Political Integrity Project, a nonpartisan watchdog tracking the money behind US politics, said: “It creates an incentive for him [Trump] to paywall public information in order to enrich himself.”

Kathleen Clark, a professor at the Washington University School of Law who specialises in government conflict of interest rules, went further: “He’s selling expedited, privileged access to information about what he is doing as president. It’s yet more brazen corruption, an improper exploitation of government power to enrich himself.”

Whether it is lawful is a separate question, and the answer appears to be yes. Robert Frenchman, a partner at the Dynamis law firm in New York who has defended clients in federal government trading investigations, said platforms are allowed to offer clients early access even if it disadvantages some market participants.

“It certainly does not seem fair, but yes, a tech platform can tier its distribution of information without violating federal securities laws,” he said.

The White House referred Fund Manager Today, Business Matters’ sister title, to TMTG when asked to comment. TMTG was contacted for comment.

For British SMEs, the lesson is less about Washington ethics and more about market structure. The gap between an announcement and your awareness of it now has a price tag, and someone else is paying it.

Jamie Young

Jamie Young is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, covering SME finance, employment law and Westminster policy since 2016. He has reported on every Budget and Autumn Statement since 2018, helped make sense of the ‘covid era’ and the bounce-back loan scheme from launch through the fraud investigations, and broke the magazine’s coverage of the 2024 late-payment reforms. He joined Business Matters straight from completing his BA in Administration from Exeter University and is NCTJ-qualified. Reach him at jyoung@cbmeg.co.uk

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Andy Burnham has been elected as the new Labour leader and will become the UK’s next Prime Minister on Monday

Andy Burnham has promised to be a ‘pro-business’ Prime Minister who will reindustrialise Britain and champion the nation’s small businesses.

Addressing party members following his coronation as Labour leader on Friday, the former Manchester mayor launched an attack on “four decades of neoliberalism” he argued had concentrated political power in Westminster while “economic power was privatised”.

Echoing themes from his initial speech upon returning to Westminster last month, Mr Burnham vowed to transfer greater control to local communities, arguing that “political power was centralised and economic power was privatised” during the 1980s, as reported by City AM.

“We will take back power from Westminster and Whitehall and give it to the place where you live,” he declared to Labour members. “Power to improve your high street, backing local businesses such as the pubs and the shops that bring them to life.

“And make no mistake, everybody, I will be a pro-business leader of the Labour party as I was a pro-business mayor of Greater Manchester.”

Mr Burnham’s comments followed his victory in an uncontested leadership race triggered by Keir Starmer’s resignation.

He successfully fended off Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in last month’s Makerfield by-election. During Friday’s address, he promised to extend the pledge he made to “restore hope” in the Greater Manchester seat across the entire country.

“This is… a plan to give people more power to bring back the hope that we have all been missing too much, and people are looking for us to deliver,” he said. “And we will.”

Mr Burnham’s formal election as Labour leader means he is now officially in line to succeed Keir Starmer as Prime Minister on Monday, when the London MP tenders his resignation to the King. In doing so, he will become the UK’s seventh Prime Minister within a decade.

The newly elected Labour leader chose not to unveil any specific policies or announce cabinet appointments. Instead, he outlined a series of broad pledges to reverse the “wrong turns the country has taken since the 1980s” and breathe new life into the nation’s industrial heartlands.

“The country surrendered control of the essentials: housing, water, energy, transport, and left people exposed to higher costs,” he told members. “That, in turn, led to the concentration of more wealth and power in the hands of fewer people and fewer places.

“Large parts of Britain were deindustrialised without the power to set new ambitions for themselves.”

Mr Burnham has previously indicated he will push through a further shake-up of business rates upon taking office, which would impose higher levies on out-of-town warehouses to finance tax relief for high-street retailers and pubs. Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, said the new Labour leader’s address marked an opportunity for his sector to “move beyond survival towards sustainable growth.

“Our night time industries, from hospitality and nightlife to music, culture and entertainment, are central to Britain’s social and cultural economy,” he said. “They create jobs, drive investment and bring people together. They are the heartbeat of our high streets, towns and cities.”

Electric scooters have become one of the fastest-growing modes of urban transport in Britain — but the UK market comes with legal nuances, technical specs, and buying pitfalls that trip up first-time owners.

Before you add to cart, here’s what actually matters.

Know the Law First — It’s Not What You Think

This is the single most misunderstood part of e-scooter ownership in the UK. Buying a private Best electric scooter is completely legal. Riding it in public is not — at least not yet.

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988, privately owned e-scooters are classed as motor vehicles, which means they legally require insurance, registration, and a type approval that consumer models don’t have. As a result, private e-scooters can only be ridden on private land with the landowner’s permission — not on roads, pavements, or cycle paths.

The only legal way to ride an e-scooter in public is through a council-approved rental scheme (like Lime or Voi), which the Department for Transport has extended until May 2028 while it gathers data for future legislation. A wider legalisation bill for private scooters is being discussed in Parliament, but it isn’t expected to pass before 2028–2029.

Bottom line: if you’re buying for daily commuting on public roads, you need a large private space (garden, driveway, or private estate) to use it legally today — or you’re taking on real legal risk, including fines and points if caught riding illegally.

Battery Range Isn’t Always What’s Advertised

Manufacturer range figures are usually tested under ideal conditions — flat ground, single rider, mild weather, lowest speed setting. Real-world range typically drops 20–30% once you factor in rider weight, hills, wind, and cold UK winters. As a rule of thumb, buy a scooter rated for at least 1.3x the range you actually need.

Motor Power and Speed Limits

UK rental trial scooters are capped at 15.5 mph, and that’s a useful benchmark even for private buying decisions. Higher-powered models (500W+) offer better hill performance and durability but aren’t necessarily “more legal” — power output has no bearing on where you’re allowed to ride.

Water Resistance Matters More Here Than Anywhere Else

Given the UK climate, an IP rating below IP54 is a dealbreaker. Look for IPX5 or higher if you plan to ride in typical British weather (which, realistically, you will).

Tyres: Solid vs. Pneumatic

• Solid/honeycomb tyres — puncture-proof, low maintenance, harsher ride on rough surfaces.
• Pneumatic (air-filled) tyres — much smoother ride, better grip, but require occasional maintenance and are puncture-prone.

For UK terrain — pavements, gravel driveways, uneven private land — pneumatic tyres are usually the better everyday choice.

Check for UKCA/CE Certification

Cheap import scooters sometimes skip proper safety certification. Always confirm UKCA or CE marking before buying — this affects battery safety (fire risk is a real concern with uncertified lithium batteries) and your consumer protection rights if something goes wrong.

Warranty, Spare Parts, and UK-Based Support

Because private e-scooters see most of their use on private land rather than daily road commuting, buying from a retailer with UK-based customer support and accessible spare parts (tyres, batteries, chargers) will save you significant hassle long-term. Avoid brands that only ship parts from overseas with 6–8 week lead times.

Insurance and Safety Gear

Even on private land, third-party liability insurance is worth considering if other people (family, visitors) might be riding too. A helmet is not legally required for private-land use but is strongly recommended regardless of where you ride.

Final Pre-Purchase Checklist

• Confirmed you have adequate private land to ride legally
• Range rated for at least 1.3x your actual need
• IPX5+ water resistance
• UKCA/CE certified battery and build
• UK-based warranty and spare parts support
• Tyre type suited to your terrain

Where to Buy

Once you know what to look for, comparing models side-by-side makes the decision far easier. You can browse a solid range of certified, UK-ready models via the Best electric scooter UK collection to compare specs, range, and pricing before you commit.

Buying an electric scooter in the UK isn’t complicated once you separate the legal reality from the marketing hype. Get the legality, battery, and certification questions right first — everything else is preference.