Furious consumer groups demanded an immediate cut in energy bills today after one of Britain's biggest suppliers revealed a 28 per cent profit surge boosted by the past year's cold weather.

As unsettled weather and rising food prices put off shoppers, retail sales volumes including fuel sank 1.3pc month-on-month, confounding economists' forecasts for flat sales.

The government needs a "clear strategy" to privatise Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday, as the two bailed-out banks attempted to reassure the City that they would not need to tap investors ...

Speaking at Google's Big Tent conference in Hertfordshire, Mr Miliband claimed that major businesses with low tax bills - such as Google, Apple, Amazon and Starbucks - shared a culture of irresponsibility with the banks that caused the global financial crisis.

International aid agency Oxfam has published a new report suggesting money stashed largely in EU nations could eliminate world poverty twice over.