US President Donald Trump reportedly mulling expulsions of Russian diplomats after EU backed UK March 25, 2018 US President Donald Trump may expel dozens of Russian diplomats tomorrow in response to the chemical weapons attack on a former Russian spy living in Britain, according to US media reports. The White House’s National Security Council recommended the expulsions after 10 European nations swung behind the UK in condemning the apparent attempted murder in [...]
Barclays draws up contingency plans as it awaits the next move from activist investor Edward Bramson March 25, 2018 Barclays has drawn up contingency plans as it awaits the next move of activist private equity investor Edward Bramson, after the bank last week disclosed he had built a five per cent stake in the firm. The lender consulted Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan, its corporate brokers, after learning of the stake to discuss what [...]
Australian Grand Prix 2018: Lewis Hamilton blames Mercedes after team gaffe hands rival Sebastian Vettel win in season opener March 25, 2018 Dismayed Lewis Hamilton laid the blame squarely at the feet of his Mercedes team after their apparent miscalculation allowed his chief rival Sebastian Vettel to win the first race of the new Formula One season. Vettel capitalised on a virtual safety car period to overtake reigning champion Hamilton in the pit lane – a manoeuvre [...]
Online prescription service Pharmacy2U gains £40m private equity investment March 25, 2018 Britain’s biggest online pharmacy has raised £40m from investors including G Square Capital and the BGF. Pharmacy2U will use the money to fund the growth of its online repeat prescription service, as it tries to bring the same online disruption which has shaken the retail industry to the pharmacy sector. Former Boots manager Ted Smith [...]
Drinks giant AB InBev urges shareholders to support Conviviality March 25, 2018 AB InBev is urging shareholders of troubled drinks distributor Conviviality to support the business as it seeks out support from the City. Conviviality is under pressure after it discovered errors in its accounts and an unexpected tax bill of £30m. Management has now embarked upon an equity fundraise. Read more: Troubled Conviviality to raise funds [...]
RSA chief Stephen Hester receives nearly £5m pay packet after strong 2017 for the insurer March 25, 2018 The chief executive of RSA Stephen Hester will take home nearly £5m after a strong 2017 for the insurer which saw it achieve a record underwriting profit of £394m. On top of his salary of £987,000, the former Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) boss received a £1m bonus, £2.6m as part of a long-term incentive [...]
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont arrested in Germany March 25, 2018 Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has been arrested in Germany today as he crossed the border into Denmark. Puigdemont fled Spain last year after his bid to declare Catalan as independent from Spain; he has since been living in exile in Belgium. He faces charges of rebellion, rioting, and misappropriation of public funds. Arrest warrants [...]
British Summer Time pioneer William Willett built Elsworthy House in Primrose Hill and it’s on sale for £15m March 25, 2018 You wouldn’t think it to step outside, but this Sunday is officially the start of British Summer Time. The clocks jump forward an hour on 25 March to give us all more time in the sun and it’s all down to the man who built this house in Primrose Hill. Elsworthy House, Primrose Hill, £15m [...]
House of Fraser’s lenders call in advisers EY as high street crisis continues March 24, 2018 House of Fraser has become the latest household name to send out warning signals, as its lenders have appointed EY as advisers to check its ongoing viability as a business. In a year that has already seen the collapse of Toys R Us and Maplins, a syndicate of banks acting as lenders to House of [...]
The AA thinks pumped-up petrol prices may have diverted £1bn away from high street spending last year March 24, 2018 Higher petrol prices in 2017 cost drivers £1bn in money that may otherwise have been spent on the high street, according to new research from breakdown cover provider The AA. A rise of nearly 9p per litre in the average price of petrol last year siphoned off a huge chunk of consumers’ spending capacity, The [...]