Barclays’ court win over financier is the definition of a hollow victory
The bank has avoided a damages claim for hundreds of millions - but this is no public relations triumph
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You can imagine the high fives and backslaps at Barclays HQ as a High Court judge delivered his verdict in its high profile legal tussle with financier Amanda Staveley.
“We welcome the Court’s decision to dismiss PCP’s claim in its entirety and award it no damages,” read the bank’s concise but pointed statement.
Chancellor faces pressure as pubs and restaurants cling on for life with doors still shut
27 February 2021 • 12:00pm
Boris Johnson may have raised the prospect of a cut in beer duty in this week’s Budget, but Phil Whitehead, the man in charge of Britain’s most popular pint, is at best only cautiously optimistic.
Johnson told the Commons last Wednesday that Rishi Sunak was looking at reducing the levy down to rates charged by the likes of Germany “very closely”.
But just days before the Chancellor stands before the dispatch box, Whitehead, the UK and Ireland boss of Molson Coors – the brewing giant behind Carling – persists in using words like “should” and “could”.
Covid puts £60m hole in Gordon Ramsay s revenues
Celebrity chef defends decision to use Government s furlough scheme to help pay staff at his 14 London restaurants
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay has revealed sales at his restaurant business fell by almost £60m in the past year.
The chef told of the financial impact of Covid-19 on his eateries and said he had been hurt by criticism he received for accepting government financial support.
His company, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, operates his 14 London-based restaurants and his 10 international eateries in locations such as Las Vegas, Versailles and Singapore.
The Scot described 2020 as the most difficult year of his career and said turnover at the company fell by £58.5m.
The other cabinet ministers then took it in turns to have their say. Their precise contributions within the secrecy of the video chat is unknown. But one thing is clear: the discussion did not last long. The meeting was over after around an hour, in time for Sunday lunch.
One Government adviser familiar with the call summarised it bluntly: To be honest it was a rubber-stamping exercise. These things don’t really get decided in these meetings.
“No one went into the room seeking or expecting changes to be made. The main thrust was ‘we can’t let these dates slip’. It has been designed as a road map we can stick to.”