Bank bosses called to meeting with Reeves over impact of Iran war on UK economy
Posted on Sunday April 19, 2026

HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest and Santander will this week discuss with chancellor how to limit effects of conflict

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The bosses of Britain’s “big five” retail banks have been summoned to a meeting with the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, this week to discuss how to limit the economic impact of the crisis in the Middle East triggered by the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran.

The chief executives of HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest and Santander have been asked to attend an emergency summit on Wednesday, amid increasing acceptance that a major economic hit from the Iran war is unavoidable.

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ABF poised to reveal result of Primark and food business demerger plan
Posted on Sunday April 19, 2026

Retail analysts say breaking up food and fashion group would make sense in challenging business environment

Primark may break free from Kingsmill, Twinings and the sugar business this week when Associated British Foods announces plans on a mooted demerger.

The potential split comes at a tricky time for the group controlled by the billionaire Weston family, with its fashion and food arms facing tough competition and rising costs.

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UK seeks EU deals on steel and EVs in push for closer economic ties
Posted on Sunday April 19, 2026

Agreements would aim to shield British industry from new steel tariffs and stricter rules on electric vehicles due in 2027

Downing Street hopes to secure deals on steel and electric cars with the EU as it seeks to upgrade the post-Brexit economic relationship.

Amid economic uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East and strains in relations with the US, Keir Starmer is seeking closer economic ties with the EU.

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Fee hikes, big bonuses, then bosses exit: the curious case of City & Guilds privatisation
Posted on Sunday April 19, 2026

Sale of vocational training brand and million-pound executive pay deals now subject to Charity Commission inquiry

When electrician Charlie Butler was contacted by City & Guilds last autumn, he received a shock.

He had branched out to launch a new company schooling future sparkies in Essex, offering City & Guilds-affiliated courses and qualifications. When the representative from the training charity called, Butler was expecting a quick conversation about a small uptick in the annual fees.

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Finance leaders warn over Mythos as UK banks prepare to use powerful Anthropic AI tool
Posted on Friday April 17, 2026

Release of new Claude model, so far limited to US firms, will expand to British institutions in coming days

British banks will be given access in the next week to a powerful AI tool that was deemed too dangerous to be released to the public, as a series of senior finance figures warned over its impact.

Anthropic, which has so far limited the release of the new model to a small clutch of primarily US businesses, including Amazon, Apple and Microsoft, said it would expand that to UK financial institutions.

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Liz Kendall urges UK public to embrace AI as government makes first £500m fund investment
Posted on Friday April 17, 2026

Technology secretary plays down fears over jobs and cyber security as stake taken in British startup

The UK technology secretary has urged the country to “make AI work for Britain”, brushing off fears about its impact on jobs and cybersecurity as the government announced its first investment under a £500m sovereign AI fund.

Liz Kendall said the UK had to “seize” the opportunity offered by AI despite concerns underlined this month when US startup Anthropic revealed it had developed an AI model that posed a potentially significant cyber threat.

Asked how the government makes the case for embracing a technology that could disrupt jobs and now cybersecurity, Kendall said: “We have to seize this to make it work, for Britain, for our jobs, for solving the biggest challenges we face as a world.”

Speaking on Thursday as the government unveiled its first investment in a UK company as part of a £500m sovereign AI fund, Kendall acknowledged “people are worried about the risks and what it means for their jobs”, but AI entrepreneurs also believed they can “make it work … they can create jobs”.

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Nico O’Reilly’s fearless quality exposes collapsing Arsenal’s title credentials | Barney Ronay
Posted on Sunday April 19, 2026

Deep lying creator is an excellent Manchester City story and confirmed why he is England’s best left-back

It’s not over, not over, not over yet. Although, let’s be honest, it kind of is over. Isn’t it, don’t you think, at the end of a day when Manchester City and Arsenal dished up the one thing nobody was expecting at the Etihad Stadium, a thrillingly open game of attacking football?

There were three images at the final whistle that seemed to capture the essence of City’s 2-1 win here, and not just in terms of the game, but the balance of energy, feeling, vibes.

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‘Big, big compliment’: Arne Slot hails Liverpool’s mentality in win at Everton
Posted on Sunday April 19, 2026

• Liverpool win derby in 100th minute after difficult run

• ‘Five games in 15 days with mainly the same players’

Arne Slot claimed Liverpool provided the perfect answer to questions over their mentality and character as Virgil van Dijk’s 100th-minute header clinched victory in the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Liverpool opened up a seven-point gap to sixth-placed Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification with their captain’s dramatic intervention against Everton, who were left to rue another late blow by their local rivals. David Moyes described the outcome as “cruel” and claimed Everton should have had a penalty for a push by Curtis Jones on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

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