Its group chairman, Mahmud Kamani, said the appointment of Sir Brian, along with auditors KPMG, would bring "independent oversight, additional expertise and further transparency to a programme that will help us on our journey to lead the fashion e-commerce market...

Mr Sunak has warned that unemployment could rise to 2.6m by the middle of next year. Meanwhile, the Resolution Foundation think-tank has warned that the Covid-crisis could dent average pay packets by £1,200.

On a salary of £150 and supplied with £5,000 in credit, Mr Trotter set up on Clydeside as a dealer in bills of exchange, intending to put the Glasgow banks under pressure with his demands for collateral coinage. The Glasgow bankers, writes Perman, quickly realised...