Pressure is mounting in the UK on disgraced former HBOS bosses amid anger over mammoth pension pots and nearly £1m of “bonuses for going bust”.

Former HBOS chief executive James Crosby has stepped down as non-executive director of catering firm Compass Group and said he wants to be stripped of his knighthood in the light of last week’s scathing report into the bank’s collapse.

A stinging report into the collapse of Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) recommended that former senior executives at the bank should be barred from working again in financial services and severely rebuked the regulator for failing to prevent its collapse.

The banking whistleblower whose revelations forced the resignation of a senior Government adviser today called for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to go for his part in creating the financial crisis.

Speculation is mounting today that the British government may be preparing to increase its stake in the troubled Lloyds Banking Group, after Chancellor Alistair Darling declined to rule out the option of nationalisation.

Lloyds Banking Group warned today that HBOS – the ailing bank it rescued last year – could post annual losses of around £10bn (€11.3bn) for 2008.

Former HBOS chief executive James Crosby dramatically resigned as deputy chairman of the British Financial Services Authority (FSA) today.

ITV boss Michael Grade is to extend his stay at the head of the broadcaster for a further year, the company said today.

Catering group Compass offered further signs today that it was making progress in its efforts to improve profitability.

UK catering group Compass offered further signs today that it was making progress in its efforts to improve profitability.

Renewed merger and acquisition speculation proved insufficient to keep the FTSE 100 Index in positive territory today.

BANK of Scotland Ireland has launched its assault on the retail banking market by offering savers the highest interest-paying deposit account in the country.

Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) pledged to shake up the Irish banking market today after announcing plans to roll out a chain of high street branches.

London’s leading shares lost sight of gains notched up in a New Year rally today as miners and utilities fell out of favour.

James Crosby has been on a winning streak since leading Halifax into its transformational tie-up with Bank of Scotland in 2001.

The London market struggled for direction today as it tried to build on yesterday’s four-and-a-half-year high following a strong rally in the New Year.

The first chief executive of merged financial giant Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) today announced plans to quit the group in the summer.

BANKING group HBOS yesterday stayed silent on claims that its bosses will meet this week to finalise plans for a £10 billion bid for Abbey National.

Banking group HBOS today stayed silent on claims that its bosses will meet this week to finalise plans for a £10bn (€14.7bn) bid for Abbey National.

Bank of Scotland and the Halifax have agreed a £28bn merger to create Britain's fifth largest bank.

The Halifax is buying Equitable Life for £1bn.