6:53 am, February 3, 2023
British Gas under pressure to outline compensation for ‘mistreated’ customers
British Gas is under pressure to explain how it will compensate ‘vulnerable’ customers who faced debt collectors forcibly installing prepayment meters in their homes.
Energy minister Graham Stuart has asked Centrica, which owns the energy giant, to urgently outline ‘redress’ for ‘mistreated customers’, while regulator Ofgem has called for ‘action, not warm words’.
Ofgem has ordered all domestic energy companies to suspend the system of forcibly installing prepayment meters, while business secretary Grant Shapps described the practice as ‘outrageous’.
Raab faces new bully claim over ‘abusive attack’ on anti-Brexit activist
Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab is facing a fresh claim of bullying after an anti-Brexit campaigner alleged he launched an ‘abusive attack’ on her.
Gina Miller said Raab, who was also appointed as justice secretary by Rishi Sunak, was ‘aggressive and intimidating’ during an ‘aggressive encounter’.
A source close to Raab, who denies bullying staff, said her account was ‘baseless’ and ‘timed to jump on a political bandwagon and give Gina Miller the publicity she craves’. Meanwhile, the prime minister remains under pressure over what he knew about Raab’s behaviour when appointing him deputy.
Anger as Shell profits rocket to ‘obscene’ 115-year high
Shell has recorded the highest profit in its 115-year history as it benefited from soaring energy prices, fuelling anger over the amount of tax paid by the oil giant.
Political and environmental campaigners criticised the profit jump as ‘obscene’ and ‘outrageous’ as UK households face soaring energy costs.
On Thursday, Shell said that core profits rocketed to 84.3bn dollars (£68.1bn) in 2022. The figure represents one of the highest profits ever recorded by a UK company.
Pentagon: Suspected Chinese spy balloon spotted over Western US
The US is tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been spotted over US airspace for a couple days, but the Pentagon decided not to shoot it down due to risks of harm for people on the ground, officials have said.
A senior defence official told Pentagon reporters that the US has ‘very high confidence’ it is a Chinese high-altitude balloon and it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information.
One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base.
‘Positive’ rise in shopper footfall in January, says trade body
Shopper numbers in Scotland increased in January but they remain below pre-pandemic levels, figures show.
Analysists said all retail destinations ‘benefited’ from the increase, but overall shopper footfall was still seven per cent down on the numbers recorded before coronavirus. Scottish footfall increased by 12.2 per cent overall in January, with Edinburgh rising by 24.2 per cent and Glasgow by 16 per cent.
The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said that this is ‘positive news’ for retailers at the start of the year, in comparison to the 2021 figures.
Apple suffers first quarterly sales decline in nearly four years
Apple on Thursday posted its first quarterly revenue drop in nearly four years after pandemic-driven restrictions on its China factories curtailed sales of the latest iPhone during the festive season.
The company’s sales of 117bn dollars (£96bn) for the October-December period represented a five per cent decline from the same time in the previous year, a deeper downturn than analysts had projected.
It marks Apple’s first year-over-year decrease in quarterly revenue since the January-March period in 2019 when sales also slipped five per cent amid slowing iPhone demand and the fallout of a trade war with China that was being waged by then-president Donald Trump.
Up to one in 10 drivers ignore red X signs on motorways
Up to one in 10 drivers risk being fined for ignoring lane closed signs on motorways, new figures suggest.
National Highways said the proportion of drivers who comply with the red X signs is ‘more than 90 per cent’, indicating nearly 10 per cent do not.
Since September 2022, all police forces have been able to use enforcement cameras to prosecute motorists who illegally pass under a red X or enter a lane beyond one. This can result in a fine of up to £100 and three penalty points, or more severe penalties and a court appearance in some cases.
JD Sports to open 350 new shops globally each year in ambitious expansion
JD Sports has outlined ambitious growth plans to open up to 350 shops globally each year.
The sports fashion retailer’s recently-appointed boss, Regis Schultz, said it expects to generate £bn in cash each year as he outlined the firm’s latest strategy.
Schultz, who took over as chief executive officer last August following the departure of Peter Cowgill, said it would continue to invest in the UK but that new openings would be focused on North America and continental Europe. ‘In the UK, we will continue to strong stores and expand into significantly bigger sites,’ he said.
Thursday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Car dealer group Arnold Clark admits hackers have stolen customers’ personal data
- Grab your chance to vote for the best – and worst – car manufacturers and suppliers to do business with
- TrustFord looking for 75 apprentices as it seeks to bolster inclusion
- Car dealers are defenceless against ‘industry of fraudsters and scammers’ says Robin Luscombe
- Interest rates are hiked to four per cent but Bank of England predicts shallower recession
- Auction house RM Sotheby’s claims world record with €9.8m Bugatti Chiron Profilée
- Nissan dealership reunites customer with her beloved Bugg
- Hippo Motor Group submits plans for new multi-million-pound dealership
Average price paid for motor insurance rose by 8% in final months of 2022
The average price paid for motor insurance jumped by eight per cent in the last three months of 2022, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
The typical premium paid for private motor insurance was £470, up by eight per cent on the previous quarter. The average premium was also seven per cent higher compared with the final quarter of 2021. Rising costs have added to upward pressures on insurance policies.
The ABI said delays in finding parts, the increased cost of paint and the jump in energy prices are among the factors adding to vehicle repair costs.
Donald Trump’s Scottish golf courses post losses of £15m
The company which owns former US president Donald Trump’s Ayrshire golf course posted a more than £15m loss in 2021, its accounts show.
Golf Recreation Scotland owns Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire, which was purchased by the controversial property tycoon who is currently eyeing a second term in the White House.
According to accounts lodged with Companies House and published on Wednesday, the group made a loss of £14.7m in 2021, despite an operating profit of just over £1m, as a result of depreciation, foreign currency exchange and ‘exceptional items’. Accounts for the Trump family’s Aberdeenshire course, meanwhile, show a £696,000 loss in 2021 – an improvement on its £1.3m deficit the previous year.
Nissan’s Max-Out concept is a vision of brand’s future
Nissan’s latest concept – the Max-Out – has been unveiled to showcase the firm’s focus on sustainability and innovation in the future of its vehicles.
Previously shown in virtual form as part of the Nissan Ambition 2030 plans announced in November 2021, this is the first time that the Max-Out has been created as a physical model.
Its exterior showcases a variety of wild touches, such as the 3D-effect wheels and numerous lime-coloured accents which are used across the car’s body. The front of the car is centred around a wide, rectangular grille which is framed by the same lime colour. Around the back, there’s a similar rectangle shape which here incorporates the Nissan name within it.
Weather outlook
A cloudy day for pretty much the entire country today, reports BBC Weather. The far north will see the odd spell of light rain, but it’ll be cloudy and dry for all other areas. It’ll be a mild day, too.
Tonight will see clear and dry conditions initially, before cloud sweeps in later on. The far north will hang onto showers.
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