The UK needs to be better prepared for a "no deal" Brexit to show Brussels there is a "credible" alternative should the negotiations fail, a former Bank of England governor has said.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has called for direct negotiations between London and Dublin on relations after Brexit.

The euro area has been, if not an economic disaster, a "very serious problem" affecting Britain, the former governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King has said.

The Treasury in England will rule on whether to split Royal Bank of Scotland into a “good” and “bad” bank shortly after the Conservative Party conference, according to a report.

The costs and complexities of carving Royal Bank of Scotland into a good and bad bank would likely leave British taxpayers worse off and exceed any benefits, according to an influential ratings agency.