Starling plans to ‘come out swinging’ in diversification bid Fintech Bernadette Smith has a spring in her step as she sits down in Starling’s headquarters to discuss her new role. The fintech’s new banking boss is buzzing with energy that she wants to pass onto customers and investors. “I want everyone to be talking about us,” she says, envisaging how she will measure success in [...]
Bank of England to relax capital rules despite warning of economic threats Banking The Bank of England set out proposals to relax UK banks’ capital rules even as it sounded the alarm on the growing risk of multiple threats hitting the UK economy. In the latest meeting of the central bank’s Financial Policy Committee top officials said it would work with watchdogs on a package of “broad reforms” [...]
‘Too much tax, too much regulation’: Fintech chief sounds alarm on UK economy and IPO market Fintech The boss of one of the UK’s fastest-growing fintech unicorns has warned the country risks “putting founders off” with overregulation and heavy taxation as speculation rises that the Labour government could make a major lurch to the left. Paul Taylor, who founded banking software firm Thought Machine in 2014, told Morning Wire he feared UK [...]
Close Brothers shares fall as motor finance scandal threatens worst returns in Europe July 6, 2026 Close Brothers shares tumbled on Monday morning after a damning broker downgrade warned the bank was poised to deliver the “lowest value-creation” of Europe’s top 50 banks. The FTSE 250 bank’s stock was down nearly nine per cent in early trading to 401.70p as investors scurried for the exit door. The loss came on the [...]
Badenoch sets sights on battle with the Bank June 24, 2026 The City is in the mood for a regulatory bonfire and Kemi Badenoch hopes to be the one to light the flame. In this week’s column, Samuel Norman looks at the roadblocks she may face on her pursuit. “Don’t forget about Andrew Bailey.” That was the parting shot I got from a former Bank of [...]
House of Lords lashes out at Labour for ‘eliminating’ its oversight of financial watchdogs June 18, 2026 An influential group of peers have hit out at the government for ditching the Lords’ oversight of financial watchdogs as part of legislation passed in the King’s Speech. Writing in her capacity as chair of the Lords’ Financial Services Regulation Committee, Baroness Noakes said the government had “eliminated” an “integral” part of the regulatory system. [...]
Kemi Badenoch pledges to wield the axe on post-financial crisis banking regulation June 18, 2026 Kemi Badenoch will today step up her efforts to woo the City as she promises to wield the axe on post-financial crisis banking regulation if she manages to clinch the keys to Number 10. “London is having its lunch eaten” by overregulation, the Tory leader will proclaim as she proposes a shakeup of the financial regime that she hopes [...]
Revolut faced orders to fix ‘deficiencies’ in product launches in Europe June 10, 2026 Revolut faced a regulatory slap-down from the European Central Bank last year as restrictions were placed on its operations in the continent. Europe’s most valuable fintech company had its permission to release new products across the 27 countries covered in the European Economic Area temporarily suspended last summer. The bank was instructed to rectify “deficiencies” [...]
From mild to wild: What impact will AI have on banking jobs? June 10, 2026 Top banking bosses have issued their AI verdict after Standard Chartered stunned the sector with plans for sweeping job cuts last month. In this week’s column Samuel Norman looks at whether a reckoning could be on the horizon. The big-name banker must have known how the conversation would go when he arrived for lunch with [...]
Banks ‘not ready’ for motor finance scheme, says City watchdog June 9, 2026 The City watchdog has warned that motor finance lenders are “not as ready as we would expect” for the introduction of its long-awaited redress scheme. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has written to the Treasury Committee following inquiries around the legal challenges to its car mis-selling scheme. The regulator published [...]