The Co-operative Bank’s fund managers are stepping up their fight over unpaid bonuses last year, the latest hurdle for the bank as it tries to tackle its creaking finances, The Times reported.

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney’s vow to keep interest rates at 0.5% until the jobless total drops to 7.0% may be realised faster than forecast after new data showed job prospects are at their strongest for six years, according to The Telegraph.

UK Business Secretary Vince Cable is looking at imposing a levy on businesses who fail to pay their suppliers swiftly, after a Whitehall push to persuade companies into improving their behaviour voluntarily did not make enough impact, the Financial Times said.

A new report has warned that the government’s plans to bolster Britain’s fledgling shale oil and gas industry are likely to backfire because any fracking boom they might foster would be curbed by a shortage of rigs, fracking equipment and qualified staff, The Independent unveiled.

Barclaycard’s monthly analysis has found that garden centres, pubs and restaurants, and DIY stores benefited from a 4.8% rise in total spending in July as the summer heatwave sent shoppers flocking to the high street to eat and drink out, The Times said.

A survey has revealed that more than nine in 10 Ryanair pilots think authorities should investigate how the airline’s employment practices impact on safety, The Mirror reported.