UK Business News

Bank customers in line for £6bn refund

Supreme Court will rule on whether the Office of Fair Trading can investigate the legality of unauthorised overdraft charges

Concorde runs out of room at Heathrow

BA’s last Concorde is now parked behind its maintenance hangars after a plan to sell it to Dubai did not materialise

• BA and Iberia move closer to merging

• Concorde may end its days in Dubai

Water chiefs in job threat

On Thursday the chief executive of Ofwat will publish the final ruling on how much money the companies can invest

• Bribery allegations investigated at Welsh Water

• Water companies braced for battle with regulator

Gatwick owners look to the stars

They are understood to have hired James van Hoften, a former astronaut who runs the airports business of Bechtel

World Business News

RBS dumping toxic assets on Ireland

Hester stirs diplomatic row by using EU rules to force Dublin into accepting £7bn bad loans

• We aim to put the taxpayer in profit, says Hester

• RBS losses swell to £1.5bn as bad debts triple

Cadbury tells Hershey: show us more of the money

The confectioner would rebuff a £10.3 billion Hershey takeover as a "non-starter", insisting that it doesn’t offer full value

• Cadbury family member hits at Kraft bid

• Hershey prepares to trump $17bn Kraft bid for Cadbury

Criminal past of island fraudster

John Hirst, the financier being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office served two-and-a-half years in jail in the 1990s

• Mallorca expats hit by £20m ‘fraudster’

• Fears of new Madoff-style fraud rock Mallorca expats

Disney closes popular parenting sites

The media group has shut down the Raisingkids and UKfamily sites, directing visitors to use its American parenting site instead

Analysis

No time for Cadbury to show flakiness

The group is beginning to look like a victim in this drawn-out bid battle, not the iconic international confectioner that it is

The nutters can relax – but only for a while

Abbott and Posen have different definitions of inflation nutters. Not everybody who worries about inflation meets the description

Kerching! Guilt police are gone

Barneys is to New York fashion what the Yankees are to baseball: there are other teams, but who cares?

Law  

Board may lift ban on legal partnerships

Barristers accuse the Bar Standards Board of unfairly withholding the key recommendations on multi-disciplinary practices

MP expenses file to be sent to CPS ‘in weeks’

It is understood that three MPs and three peers are likely to be included in the file, which should be ready by Christmas

Intelligence services win secrecy ruling

A judge agreed that secret government information could remain hidden from individuals who are suing the security services

Money  

Santander launches 'free' bank account

Owner of Abbey and B&B offers an account with no overdraft charges - but only if customers take out a mortgage

125 per cent loans to homemovers

Existing customers in negative equity can move home with new deal from Coventry Building Society

• Stamp duty change to compound low prices in worst hit areas

• Self-employed face mortgage obstacle course

How to get the best credit card this Christmas

Follow our credit checklist to ensure that your Christmas shopping doesn’t cost more than it should

business travel  

Bmi revamps Diamond Club frequent flyer scheme

Airline adds family membership and unveils new rules for complimentary upgrades

Finnair launches mobile check-in and boarding passes

Passengers will now be able to proceed straight to the gate if they only have hand luggage

Manchester airport wants sky-high bar

Airport seeks partner to redevelop terminal 1 control tower into a cool drinking den with views of the runway