Motor finance war of words heats up as City watchdog blasts law firm’s motives Legal A blistering war of words has broken out between the City watchdog and the firms leading the consumer legal challenge to its £9bn motor finance scheme. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has urged the Upper Tribunal to throw out the case entirely as it slammed Courmacs Legal and its client Consumer Voice, for a serious [...]
Virgin Media slapped with £28m fine for stopping customers cancelling deals Telecoms Virgin Media has been slapped with the media watchdog’s largest ever fine for direct harm to consumers after it was found to have mishandled millions of calls with users looking to switch away to a better deal The telecoms giant has been hit with a £28m fine after it was found to have put customers [...]
Bank of England to relax capital rules despite warning of economic threats Banking The Bank of England set out proposals to relax UK banks’ capital rules even as it sounded the alarm on the growing risk of multiple threats hitting the UK economy. In the latest meeting of the central bank’s Financial Policy Committee top officials said it would work with watchdogs on a package of “broad reforms” [...]
The FCA has finally woken up to the AI revolution July 7, 2026 The FCA-commissioned Mills Review marks a significant regulatory shift, moving away from a hands-off approach to AI agents making financial decisions, says Omar Salem Pablo Neruda, the Chilean Nobel laureate for literature, said “you can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming”. The FCA has finally accepted this for the regulation of [...]
‘Too much tax, too much regulation’: Fintech chief sounds alarm on UK economy and IPO market July 7, 2026 The boss of one of the UK’s fastest-growing fintech unicorns has warned the country risks “putting founders off” with overregulation and heavy taxation as speculation rises that the Labour government could make a major lurch to the left. Paul Taylor, who founded banking software firm Thought Machine in 2014, told City AM he feared UK [...]
FCA eyes tougher AI rules as Brits turn to chatbots for financial advice July 6, 2026 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has called for greater powers to regulate artificial intelligence after warning the UK’s financial rulebook must evolve to keep pace with the number of consumers turning to chatbots for advice on their money. In a new review published on Monday, the watchdog said AI will become “a defining force” in [...]
Close Brothers shares fall as motor finance scandal threatens worst returns in Europe July 6, 2026 Close Brothers shares tumbled on Monday morning after a damning broker downgrade warned the bank was poised to deliver the “lowest value-creation” of Europe’s top 50 banks. The FTSE 250 bank’s stock was down nearly nine per cent in early trading to 401.70p as investors scurried for the exit door. The loss came on the [...]
Nationwide rebel claims he was offered sweetener to drop boardroom bid July 6, 2026 A rebel Nationwide customer vying for a board seat at Britain’s biggest building society claimed it offered to help him land a directorship at another firm if he dropped his boardroom bid. James Sherwin-Smith, who is on the ballot at next week’s annual general meeting to join Nationwide’s board, told City AM he had a [...]
City watchdog suspends parts of £9bn motor finance scheme after industry backlash July 2, 2026 The UK’s financial watchdog has suspended parts of its under-fire £9bn motor finance redress scheme amid fierce backlash from industry and consumer groups. In a statement on Thursday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the suspension will require firms to continue preparations for its scheme but avoid work that “may need to be repeated” if [...]
Private credit firms draft in City advisers to help with ‘meltdown’ stress test June 25, 2026 Firms taking part in the Bank of England’s inaugural private credit stress test have been allowed to draft in external City advisers to help them manage the substantial workload required to respond to the doomsday scenario, which participants have branded “extremely severe”. So-called shadow banks will be allowed to lean on consultants, two people involved [...]