The government will oppose attempts to set a new renewable energy target within the EU, in a move that could put at risk tens of billions of pounds of green investment and tens of thousands of new jobs.

Senior figures close to the consortium - led by Canadian infrastructure investor Borealis Infrastructure - confirmed that a second offer was highly likely after the water company rejected a sub-�5bn bid earlier this month.

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.

Angry shareholders of HSBC on Friday bombarded the group's board with barrage of accusations ranging from financing Mexican drug cartels to supporting tax havens, slashing jobs and mis-selling products.

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 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.

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.

Bank of England Markets Director Paul Fisher said policy makers must continue to provide support to the British economy as companies and consumers reduce debts and rebuild confidence.

Britain came within six hours of running out of natural gas in March, according to a senior energy official, highlighting the risk of supply shortages amid declining domestic production and a growing reliance on imports.