ComparetheMarket fined £17.9m

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Meerkat mischief

ComparetheMarket is facing a £17.9 million fine for breaching competition law. The comparison website had cut deals with insurance providers to stop them offering lower prices via other sites. The Competition and Markets Authority said the breaches probably led to homeowners having to pay higher insurance premiums.

Save the nightlife

Pubs and restaurants are calling for help to stay afloat, with 72% facing permanent closure in the next year. The new survey from the hospitality industry shows venues have been forced to operate at a loss due to coronavirus restrictions. They’re asking for more money and a “fine tuning” of the tier system to help as many businesses as possible to stay open.

Military spending boost

The government has announced huge extra funding for the military - the biggest since the cold war. It says the extra £24 billion over the next 4 years will strengthen cyber and space defences - and create an extra 10,000 jobs a year in the process.

Music made money

The music industry generated £5.8 billion for the UK economy last year - up 11% thanks to stars like Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa. And a large slice of that came from live shows - most of which have been cancelled this year. With live tours made impossible, 2020 has seen musicians’ incomes drop by 80%, with a knock-on effect for venues and promoters.