The mutual needs to raise as much as �1.8bn to repair its bank's balance sheet and said on Friday that it was �undertaking an extensive review� of the business.

More than 30 of the coalition's flagship schemes, including Universal Credit and high-speed rail, are at serious risk of failure, a report says.

Britain's largest bank HSBC suffered an embarrassing shareholder revolt as more than 14pc of investors failed to back its directors' pay packages.

Suffolk's growing reputation as the �green coast� has received a major shot in the arm after officials approved a 140 turbine offshore wind farm.

Households paid off �241m more mortgage debt than they borrowed in an effort to get on top of their debts. Before May last year, net lending had never been negative since the BBA started collecting the data in 1997.

The euro zone has been reminded lately that although investors are showing renewed confidence in its financial markets that its crisis is still simmering below the surface.

Activity in the vital services sector increased, according to the latest Markit PMI survey for April giving the clearest indication yet that the economy is improving.

With the cold weather continuing to increase demand for gas and a lack of investment meaning there is little storage capacity UK gas reserves are at a critical level.

TAXPAYERS could end up footing a �62 million bill for restoring coal mines in one local authority area following the collapse of Scotland's largest mining companies.

The Governor of the Bank of England says that "momentum" is growing in the UK economy and that more QE might keep it going as sterling rises after his comments.