Howard and Aidan Barclay have been given six weeks to reach an agreement with creditors after HSBC launched bankruptcy proceedings over debts linked to the collapse of the family’s logistics empire. At a High Court hearing on Tuesday, Mr Justice Michael Briggs granted the brothers until 17 March to circulate proposals for individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs), a formal insolvency process allowing debtors to agree repayment terms with creditors and avoid bankruptcy. The brothers are the...
Brussels would be willing to discuss closer trade ties with the UK, including the possibility of cooperation on a customs union, a senior European commissioner has said, signalling the clearest openness yet from the EU to re-engage with Britain. Speaking to the BBC after high-level talks in London, Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commissioner for Economy, said the EU was “ready to engage with an open mind” if the UK wanted to explore deeper economic alignment....
The Welsh first minister has sparked controversy after urging the public to stop watching Netflix and instead go to the pub in order to support struggling hospitality businesses. Speaking in the Senedd, Eluned Morgan said consumers needed to “get out of their homes” and use pubs, restaurants and cafés if they wanted them to survive, following the Welsh Government’s announcement of a one-year business rates discount for the sector. Her comments came after ministers confirmed...
Timur Yusufov is a business leader whose career sits at the crossroads of real estate, healthcare, and long-term community design. Born in the former Soviet Union, he moved to the United States in 1992. That early experience shaped how he thinks about stability, systems, and opportunity. He studied Economics and Finance at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Rather than follow a traditional finance path, he entered real estate with a clear focus. He chose...
Mohit Seth is a seasoned finance expert and the founder of MAAK Finance Ltd., a mortgage practice known for its clear, client-focused advice. Based in Canada, Mohit works as a Mortgage Broker, Real Estate Agent, and Insurance Professional, offering a well-rounded perspective on property financing and financial protection. Originally from Lucknow, India, Mohit earned a Master’s in Mathematics before moving to Delhi to complete a Master’s in Finance. These academic foundations gave him a sharp,...
Aileen Wisell is a Boston-based graphic designer who has built a steady, respected career in visual communication. Her work focuses on helping businesses clarify their message and express it through thoughtful, well-structured design. She specialises in logos, websites, and marketing materials that support long-term brand growth rather than short-term trends. Raised in Massachusetts, with formative years spent in Portland and Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Aileen developed an early habit of close observation. The coastal environment shaped...
The Government has unveiled new guidance to help employers prepare for major changes to employment law, as ministers seek to fix what they describe as a “broken labour market” while supporting business growth. The guidance follows the passing of the Employment Rights Act 2025, which will introduce a series of reforms from April aimed at establishing a fairer baseline of workplace protections. Ministers argue the changes reflect practices already adopted by many employers and will...
Barnsley has been rebranded as Britain’s first “tech town”, with ministers unveiling plans to use artificial intelligence to improve local schools, healthcare and businesses as part of the government’s push to embed AI across the economy. The designation was announced by the technology secretary Liz Kendall, who said the South Yorkshire town would act as a national testbed for “how AI can improve everyday life”. Under the initiative, US technology groups including Microsoft, Google, Cisco...
Lucie Macleod, founder and chief executive of Hair Syrup, has unveiled The Hair Syrup Honey Pot, a competition offering one UK entrepreneur £5,000 in cash alongside four hours of personalised, one-to-one mentoring. The award comes with no equity attached and no commercial strings, with the aim of providing practical support at the earliest stages of building a business. The initiative invites UK-based founders aged 18 and over to submit a short pitch video on TikTok...
Around one million people missed the deadline to file their self-assessment tax return, leaving them facing automatic penalties, according to HM Revenue and Customs. HMRC said 27,456 taxpayers filed in the final hour before the midnight cut-off at the end of Saturday, after the tax authority kept helplines open and extended webchat services over the weekend in a bid to help late filers. The busiest period for online submissions was between 5pm and 6pm on...
