6:25 am, March 13, 2026
John Lewis Partnership to hand staff bonus for first time in four years
Workers at the John Lewis Partnership are set to receive an annual bonus for the first time in four years on the back of stronger profitability as the high street firm progressed further with its turnaround.
The retail giant, which runs John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, said its employees – which it calls partners – will receive a 2% bonus for the year to January 31.
It came as the business reported a pre-tax loss of £21m, down from a £97m profit a year earlier, after being impacted by exceptional charges such as write-downs linked to its legacy tech systems.
Elon Musk’s Tesla wins approval to supply electricity to British households
Elon Musk’s Tesla has been given the green light to start supplying electricity to households and businesses in Britain.
The company’s subsidiary, Tesla Energy Ventures, has been granted a licence by energy watchdog Ofgem to provide electricity to domestic and non-domestic consumers in England, Wales and Scotland.
It took effect on Wednesday following a seven-month review that considered whether the company could safely and reliably run an energy business.
Ford Capri range receives updates including new ‘Collection’ edition
The Ford Capri has received several updates including a new ‘Collection’ edition to broaden its appeal.
The Capri Collection celebrates the heritage of the Blue Oval’s success in motorsport and road-going performance cars. The model is painted in ‘Tribute Blue’ and is complemented by racing liveries inspired by the original Capri racer from the 1970s. There are deeper front and rear valances, side skirts, a black rear spoiler and 21-inch wheels.
The Capri ‘Standard Range’ variant also gains a new and improved battery pack, with the new setup featuring the same 55kWh single electric motor unit, but power has increased to 187bhp and can travel a claimed 288 miles between charges – compared to 167bhp and 242 miles in the old model.
The markets
Stock prices in London closed lower on Thursday after Iran’s new leader called for the Strait of Hormuz to “remain closed”, raising fears of a prolonged war in the Middle East.
The FTSE 100 index closed down 48.62 points, 0.5%, at 10,305.15. The FTSE 250 ended down 212.60 points, 1.0%, at 22,168.74, and the AIM all-share closed down 6.59 points, 0.9%, at 767.02.
The pound fell to 1.3353 dollars on Thursday afternoon from 1.3410 dollars at the equities close on Wednesday. The euro stood lower at 1.1522 dollars from 1.1571 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was trading higher at 159.21 yen compared with 158.81 yen.
Rachel Reeves asks watchdog to ‘crack down’ on fuel ‘rip-offs’ amid Iran war
Rachel Reeves has asked the competition watchdog to ‘crack down’ on ‘rip-off’ fuel prices ahead of a meeting with energy bosses to warn against profiteering amid the Iran war.
The chancellor insisted she ‘will not tolerate’ firms exploiting uncertainty in the Middle East for excess financial gain as concerns grow over its impact on the cost of living.
The Treasury has said Reeves and energy secretary Ed Miliband will also press petrol retailers and energy suppliers to ensure drivers are not left paying ‘over the odds’ in a Downing Street meeting on Friday.
MPs criticise Fujitsu for not contributing ‘a penny’ to Post Office redress
A group of MPs has hit out at Fujitsu for being ‘yet to contribute a penny’ to the nearly £1.5bn redress bill for victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal and called for urgent action to quash pre-Horizon convictions.
The Business and Trade Committee (BTC), which scrutinises the work of the government department, said it had found ‘serious structural failings” in the compensation process.
More than 11,500 claimants have received payments worth approximately £1.48bn, as of February 27, through several schemes set up to compensate postmasters who were affected by previous faulty versions of the Horizon computer system. The total costs of redress rise to around £2bn once legal and administrative costs are taken into account, as well as for the Capture system which pre-dates the Horizon software.
Thursday on Car Dealer
Streaming tickets: Watch all of Car Dealer Live from home if you can’t make our big event
Streaming tickets are available for Car Dealer Live if you can’t make the big event but you still don’t want to miss out on the action.
Former Cox Automotive president Michael Buxton, 60, has died
Former Cox Automotive president and industry stalwart Michael Buxton has died suddenly.
Court hears Big Motoring World TrustPilot score fell after Waddell exit
Customer review scores for Big Motoring World fell on Trustpilot after founder Peter Waddell was forced out of the company, the High Court heard yesterday (March 11).
Nissan dealership Crayford & Abbs backs local athlete with Olympic dreams
The team at a Nissan dealership in Norfolk are supporting a local athlete who is hoping to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Dealers welcome the new Micra to showrooms as 52kWh model gets full government grant
Nissan dealerships have been celebrating the arrival of the all-new Micra in showrooms, just as the brand’s 52kWh version of its smallest electric car gets the full government EV grant.
Weather
Breezy conditions today with sunshine, patchy cloud and blustery showers, some wintry over higher ground in Wales and Scotland, with a small chance of lightning in heavier bursts, reports BBC Weather.
Tonight becomes largely dry and clear, though towards dawn heavy showers move into western Scotland and northwest Northern Ireland, bringing hill snow.
