Author: SKYNEWS

The UK’s mega rich are dwindling in a sign Britain’s “billionaire boom has come to an end”, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.Published today, the list reveals the largest fall in billionaires in the guide’s history – from a peak of 177 in 2022 to 165 this year. While the combined wealth of the list’s 350 wealthiest individuals amounts to more than £795bn – larger than the GDP of Poland – the guide’s compiler says time will tell what impact a drop in billionaires could have.Latest updates from the Sky News Money blog Follow Sky News on WhatsApp…

More strikes have been announced by Border Force staff at Heathrow Airport at the back end of half term.The strike action will take place on 31 May and 1 and 2 June. It will be followed by three weeks of action short of a strike, including staff working to rule and a ban on overtime running from 4 until 25 June.More than 500 members of the PCS (public and commercial services) union will take part in the strikes, which come following a dispute over a new staff roster.The PCS said it expects the walkouts to disrupt passport checks for travellers…

Prosecutions of sub-postmasters by the Department for Work and Pensions could be “tainted”, a Sky News investigation has found, as officials worked with now discredited Post Office investigators to secure convictions.Around 100 prosecutions of Post Office staff were led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between 2001 and 2006. It is understood that these usually involved the cashing in of stolen order books.The Post Office itself wrongly prosecuted hundreds of sub-postmasters between 1999 and 2015 – based on evidence from the faulty Horizon accounting system.The role of government A Sky News investigation, however, has discovered that information was…

“When you first start out, it’s you versus the world,” says Kings Of Leon’s frontman, Caleb Followill, speaking from his home in Nashville, Tennessee.He remembers the comparisons – “the Southern Strokes, I think someone called us Y’all 2, like U2, which was funny” – and how each one added to the fire in their bellies to make their own name. Now, with the release of their ninth album, Can We Please Have Fun (not a question), 25 years after the band was formed by Caleb and his brothers, Nathan and Jared, and cousin Matthew, Kings Of Leon have definitely done…

The Bank of England has revealed a major expansion of its presence in Leeds as part of efforts to spread its work outside London.The Bank said its current operation in the West Yorkshire city, which has 70 staff, would grow to 500 by 2027. It said this would be mainly achieved through new hiring and some voluntary relocations, adding it did not expect the shift to result in a rise in its overall number of employees.It employs just shy of 5,000 people currently which are spread nationally but most are based at the Bank in the City of London’s Threadneedle…

Ed Sheeran surprised a group of music students by giving an impromptu gig at their college.The four-time Grammy winner turned up at The Sheffield College as 19-year-old student Lol Bailey was performing the singer’s number one track Shape Of You in the college’s drama and music theatre. Sheeran performed the track as well as Castle On The Hill, before playing the acoustic guitar as the students freestyled rap lyrics on the microphone. Image: Pic: Sheffield Music Hub The 33-year-old musician laughed when a student rapped: “Came to the studio, the new day is waking, Ed Sheehan is here, my legs…

The Body Shop’s administrators are to launch an auction of the chain after concluding that an alternative restructuring of one of Britain’s best-known high street retailers was not viable.Sky News has learnt that FRP Advisory, which has been overseeing the collapsed business since January, is to begin formally sounding out potential buyers in the coming weeks. The move raises the prospect of new owners taking control of The Body Shop, which was founded nearly half a century ago.The chain now trades from roughly 100 stores following a shop closure and redundancy programme undertaken in recent months.Money latest: ‘Seismic shift’ for…

A group of social media influencers have been charged in relation to promoting an unauthorised investment scheme.The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) original cast member Lauren Goodger, 37, former Love Island star Biggs Chris, 32, and Celebrity Big Brother winner Scott Timlin, 36, also known as Scotty T, are among seven TV personalities alleged to have been paid to promote the scheme to their combined 4.5 million Instagram followers. The others charged by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) include former Love Islanders Rebecca Gormley, 26, Jamie Clayton, 32, and Eva Zapico, 25 and TOWIE member Yazmin Oukhellou, 30.The UK’s financial…

The owner of Royal Mail has said it is “minded” to accept a revised takeover bid by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. The latest offer from Mr Kretinsky’s investment firm EP Group values the Royal Mail parent company International Distribution Services (IDS) at £3.5bn. Money latest: UK economy in safe hands ‘whoever wins’ election, top bank chief saysMr Kretinsky’s firm already owns most of IDS as a 27.6% shareholder but wishes to buy the remaining shares.An earlier offer of £3.20 a share was rejected last month for being too low. But now he has offered £3.60 for each share. The day…

The UK’s largest consumer-owned wind farm is powering up in Scotland this month.Kirk Hill Wind Farm in South Ayrshire – part owned by more than 5,600 people and small firms – will have the potential to power around 20,000 households and businesses. The eight-turbine site, being pioneered by Ripple Energy, was funded via the £13.2m raised by members of the public and small businesses to build it in 2022.Not only will the owners be able to power their homes with up to 100% green energy, contributing to efforts to tackle climate change, but they are also expected to save thousands…