Kwasi Kwarteng: Nationalisation is least likely route for Liberty Steel May 25, 2021 The UK is considering all options for Liberty Steel but nationalisation is the least likely route, the business secretary has told MPs. In March Sanjev Gupta’s company GFG Alliance, which owns Liberty Steel, asked the government for a bailout of as much as £170m to avert collapse. The insolvency of Greensill Capital, which was among [...]
Begbies Traynor revises up earnings expectations May 20, 2021 Begbies Traynor has revised up its earnings expectations following a year of growth at the professional services firm that saw it make four acquisitions. In a market update today the company said revenue for its 2021 financial year was expected to be £83.7m, up from £70.5m in 2020. Adjusted profit before tax was revised up [...]
Carillion liquidators secure funding to take KPMG to court for audit failures May 19, 2021 Carillion’s liquidators have secured a £250m funding deal with a litigation funder to take KPMG to court for audit failures. Litigation Capital Management (LCM) will fund a claim against the Big Four firm in the Commercial Court of the High Court. Carillion’s liquidators are taking KPMG to court for perceived audit failures, resulting in losses [...]
FRP Advisory reports dip in insolvency jobs as government measures stave off corporate collapses May 14, 2021 FRP Advisory reported a drop off in restructuring appointments in the last financial year as government financial aid protected many businesses from collapse during the Covid pandemic. The professional services firm, which plans to pay a dividend for the year, said the number of insolvency appointments it secured in the last 12 months was down [...]
SFO launches money laundering probe into Gupta family over ties to Greensill Capital May 14, 2021 The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said this morning it is launching an investigation into the Gupta Family Group Alliance. “The SFO is investigating suspected fraud, fraudulent trading and money laundering in relation to the financing and conduct of the business of companies within the Gupta Family Group Alliance (GFG), including its financing arrangements with Greensill [...]
FCA looked at Greensill two months before its collapse May 13, 2021 The City regulator started to examine supply chain finance firm Greensill months before its collapse, it has emerged. The head of the Financial Conduct Authority told MPs on Wednesday that the regulator had had “very detailed preparatory thinking going on during January and February” before Greensill’s collapse in March. Greensill Capital was the brainchild of [...]
75 per cent of nightlife venues face bankruptcy when rent moratorium ends May 13, 2021 There is a £2.5bn pandemic-induced rent crisis brewing in the nightlife industry, according to the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), which has urged the government today to offer a solution. Rising rent arrears threatens to bankrupt 75 per cent of commercial tenants in the sector, once the government’s rent moratorium ends in July, the nightclubs, [...]
Directors to face bans for finding loopholes to avoid Covid loan repayments May 12, 2021 The Insolvency Service will be given new, beefed up powers to crack down on those looking to avoid repaying their pandemic loans. The Insolvency Service will be able to investigate and sanction company directors trying to dissolve their business to avoid repaying creditors, the Financial Times first reported. The government is reportedly keen to clamp [...]
High Court gives Virgin Active CVA green light in further blow for landlords May 12, 2021 Landlords have lost their legal challenge against Virgin Active’s restructuring plan, in the second high profile defeat for commercial property owners this week. Today’s High Court judgement will come as a further blow to landlords hoping to challenge tenants over Company Voluntary Arrangements. It comes after the court gave New Look the green light to [...]
FCA launches formal probe into Greensill’s UK operations May 11, 2021 The City regulator has launched a formal investigation into the UK operations of collapsed supply chain firm Greensill Capital as part of wider global probes. The Financial Conduct Authority’s chief executive Nikhil Rathi gave the first confirmation the regulator is investigating Greensill seen it collapsed into administration in March. Greensill Capital was the brainchild of [...]