The UK is on course for a December general election after Labour announced its conditions to back the move had been met.

Greenpeace activists blocked the entrance to BP’s London HQ yesterday, demanding one of the world’s biggest energy companies ends all new oil and gas exploration or goes out of business.

Britain’s largest banks are urging the UK Treasury to start a formal review of taxes on the industry, amid concern HSBC Holdings and Standard Chartered could move overseas to avoid a levy on balance sheets.