Stephen Green will be confirmed in the post this afternoon after the Stock Exchange has been informed of his appointment and that of Bob Diamond as the new head of Barclays, The Times has learnt. Mr Cameron has been without a Trade Minister since the general election. It was thought he had tried and failed to persuade Lord Davies, who did the job under Labour, to stay in the post. There have been other approaches to senior City figures, but without success. Mr Green was personally wooed by Mr Cameron to take on the job, it is understood. The move will mark a huge shake-up at the top of British banking. Mr Green, aged 62, has been at the bank for 28 years. He is not expected to take a salary as Trade Minister but is likely to get a peerage. Lord Davies was also a former banker, having chaired Standard Chartered Bank.

Russian Prime Minister has suggested that he would like to run for president again

Student debt is poised to rise to an average of £25,000 under funding proposals that favour higher tuition fees over a graduate tax. The expected recommendation from Lord Browne of Madingley would lead to undergraduates finishing their