The broadcaster Ed Stourton said he was "shattered" yesterday after being told that his contract as a regular presenter of the BBC's Today programme will end next year.

Outlook First housebuilding, now retailers. After banking, these are the industries in the front line of the deepening economic and financial crisis, though there are plenty of others fast following up the rear. Perhaps oddly, no major housebuilder has yet gone bust, but in retailing they are already dropping like flies. Woolies may be the biggest and most iconic name to have bitten the dust so far, but it is only the outsized tip of the iceberg. Scores of smaller retail chains have been forced to quit the high street over the past year.

Administrators were today sifting through the wreckage of Woolworths on another day of misery for the UK retail sector.

The owner of Currys and PC World today continued a grim week for the high street's biggest names after plunging almost £30 million into the red.

Conservatives last night vowed to vote against Alistair Darling's plans for a 2.5 per cent temporary cut in VAT, as ministers faced claims that the centrepiece of the pre-Budget report would not do enough to kick-start Britain's weakening economy.

The Queen Mother once labelled some of Britain's EU colleagues as "Huns, wops and dagos", a BBC broadcaster has said.