Tuesday newspaper round-up: Cameron, Alliance Trust, Russian gas
David Cameron has told voters that that they have “ten days to save the United Kingdom” in his strongest attack so far on the possibility of an Ed Miliband government supported by the Scottish National party. Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, wants the “best for Scotland and the rest of the UK can go hang”, the prime minister said as he echoed stark warnings issued in the final days before the Scottish referendum seven months ago. – The Times
One of Alliance Trust’s biggest shareholders has applied pressure on the board to cut costs and improve the share price only one day before a crunch annual meeting that could dictate the future of the 127-year-old investment trust. Axa Investment Managers, a top ten investor in Alliance Trust, has demanded that the board reform its practices irrespective of the outcome of a key vote at the meeting, which pitches the trust against Elliott Advisers, its largest shareholder. – The Times
Europe will remain dependent on Russian gas for years to come, energy giant Centrica has warned, dismissing suggestions the EU can replace it with other sources as "unrealistic". European leaders have scrambled to try to cut reliance on imports from Vladimir Putin's Russia since the Ukraine crisis escalated last year, with Ed Davey, the energy secretary, suggesting loft insulation and wind farms were needed to "take on the Kremlin". – The Daily Telegraph
Britain’s housebuilders saw their share prices hit on Monday after Ed Miliband unveiled detailed plans to impose rent controls on landlords. Almost £200m was wiped off the value of Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Developments and Persimmon in the wake of Sunday’s announcement that Labour would bar private landlords from increasing rent by more than CPI inflation for three years. The plans will see buy-to-let investors pull out of the market as Labour makes it unattractive to rent out properties, experts warned - worsening the shortage of available housing for the so-called "generation rent" Labour says it wants to help. - The Daily Telegraph
The coalition government has presided over the worst five-year period for living standards since modern records began more than half a century ago, according to the Trades Union Congress. In an analysis based on data from the Office for National Statistics, the TUC said the 2010-2014 period was unique in seeing a drop in real household disposable incomes. - The Guardian