Please note, below we provide access to or links to other third party web sites or resources. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, completeness or currency of any such web sites or resources or for the quality or timeliness of any products or services offered from them.
From time to time we highlight stories which we consider to be particularly important in the context of the Equitable Life crisis. To view these click here.
31/12/2003 - Press coverage of the interview with Charles Thomson Dec 31st, 2003 - The London Standard
31/12/2003 - Press coverage of the interview with Charles Thomson Dec 31st, 2003 - The Times
31/12/2003 - Press coverage of the interview with Charles Thomson Dec 31st, 2003 - The Guardian
31/12/2003 - Press coverage of the interview with Charles Thomson Dec 31st, 2003 - BBC: "Equitable will never recover"
22/12/2003 - Treasury to reject Equitable payouts for all. Jill Treanor in The Guardian
19/12/2003 - Penrose will hand over his report to the Treasury any day now. Daily Mail
18/12/2003 - Daily Mail in similar vein, the second item in Alex Brummer's editorial
18/12/2003 - Vanni Treves to quit Equitable and chair defence electronics company BAE Systems? The Times
12/12/2003 - Ann Berry, with-profits annuitant, fears for ELAS. BBC online
08/12/2003 - And, in more detail, Teresa Hunter on the same issue in the Sunday Herald
08/12/2003 - ELJAG, the late-joiners group, are rumoured to have been settled, with a comprehensive gagging order. Teresa Hunter in Sunday Telegraph
29/11/2003 - Christine Seib in The Times
29/11/2003 - Pauline Skypala in the Financial Times
28/11/2003 - EMAG Chairman's Assessment
28/11/2003 - The government should bail out Equitable. Maria Scott in the Observer
28/11/2003 - Antonia Senior in The Times
28/11/2003 - Norman Lamb MP denied a meeting with the PO. The Daily Mail
24/11/2003 - Liz Dolan editorial in Money section of Sunday Telegraph on the Ombudsman refusing to answer MPs
22/11/2003 - The Telegraph
22/11/2003 - The ongoing risks to ELAS an W P annuitants. The Guardian
16/11/2003 - Will Vanni Treves be appointed chairman of ITV? Standard
15/11/2003 - Some W P annuitants' income will halve in a decade
15/11/2003 - Rodney Allen on FSA's mistaken interpretation
14/11/2003 - With Profits annuitants income will be halved in a decade Antonia Senior, The Times
13/11/2003 - Antonia Senior in the Times
13/11/2003 - Simon Bain in the Herald
13/11/2003 - Jill Treanor in The Guardian 13th
10/11/2003 - Rachael Stevenson in The Independent on strikeout costs
09/11/2003 - Ian Cowie in Telegraph
09/11/2003 - Maria Sott in the Observer
08/11/2003 - Rupert Jones, about the PO's Mr P, in the Guardian
08/11/2003 - About the Parliamentary debate. MoneyBox Transcript
02/11/2003 - Teresa Hunter in The Herald
02/11/2003 - Teresa Hunter in the Sunday Telegraph on the forthcoming Parliamentary debate
01/11/2003 - A TERRIFIC leader in the Telegraph (please read)
01/11/2003 - (as yet unpublished) letter in response to Leader in Telegraph: From Colin Slater
01/11/2003 - (as yet unpublished) letter in response to Leader in Telegraph: From Alex Henney
01/11/2003 - Rupert Jones in The Guardian
01/11/2003 - Ian Cowie in The Telegraph
01/11/2003 - Rupert Jones in The Guardian
31/10/2003 - Julian Knight for the BBC
31/10/2003 - Tessa Thorniley in the Telegraph
31/10/2003 - Ruth Sunderland in the Daily Mail
31/10/2003 - Rachel Stevenson in the Independent
31/10/2003 - Christine Seib in the Times
31/10/2003 - NATIONAL NEWS: Equitable Life report might be a damp squib
30/10/2003 - Antonia Senior in The Times on Ernst & Young's "get out of jail card"
30/10/2003 - Tessa Thorniley in the Telegraph on Penrose will criticise the regulators
29/10/2003 - It looks like the regulators will be criticised in Penrose. Antonia Senior in The Times
29/10/2003 - The FSA's independent complaints commissioner appeared before TreasCom
29/10/2003 - Teresa Hunter about MP Norman Lamb and the PO
29/10/2003 - Norman Lamb says "All policyholders should be compensated." LibDem's press release
29/10/2003 - Penrose is due in weeks not months
25/10/2003 - Glasgow IFA, Alan Steel, bemoaning the failure of actuaries in The Scotsman
24/10/2003 - On Sir Howard Davies at LSE: Daily Telegraph 24th Oct, City Diary
21/10/2003 - The wealthy ex directors, Patrick Hosking, Evening Standard
20/10/2003 - The early late-joiners received letters offering 2.5%. Victoria Thomson in The Scotsman
19/10/2003 - And Teresa Hunter on compensations offers, in the Sunday Telegraph
19/10/2003 - 3,000 of the joiners before the late-joiners have been receiving offers via the FOS on behalf of the Society of 2.5%. Teresa Hunter in the Sunday Herald
18/10/2003 - A full trial is the least we should expect. Editorial by Neil Collins in Saturday Daily Telegraph
18/10/2003 - "Equitable Life sues directors for £3bn" Tessa Thorniley in The Telegraph
18/10/2003 - "Equitbale wins right to sue", Rupert Jones in Guardian
18/10/2003 - Peter Martin defiant talk in The Telegraph
18/10/2003 - Tracking ex directors assets: Antonia Senior in The Times
17/10/2003 - "Equitable Life can claim against ex-directors" Reuters
15/10/2003 - Scotsman
14/10/2003 - On the forthcoming ruling on the former directors and its wider ramifications, Reuters
09/10/2003 - "The dark abyss faced by Equitable’s W-P annuitants" James Hopegood in the Daily Mail
05/10/2003 - More delays for Penrose through possible injunctions? Teresa Hunter in The Herald,
(scroll down to centre of editorial) 05/10/2003 - Teresa Hunter in The Sunday Telegraph about Penrose delays
29/09/2003 - John Sclater (ex president of ELAS) had 40 directorships. Richard Dyson in the Mail on Sunday
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th) 26/09/2003 - Former directors “Closed their eyes to disaster.”Tessa Thornilly in The Telegraph
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th)25/09/2003 - Same ground covered by Antonia Senior in The Times
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th)25/09/2003 - Peter Martin, director for 17 years and deputy-president says Sclater treated his views with thinly veiled contempt: Tessa Thornilly in The Telegraph
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th)25/09/2003 - Peter Martin says it’s a vendetta: Rupert Jones in The Guardian
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th)23/09/2003 - Hedging was dismissed as too costly at £200m! Also Antonia Senior in The Times
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th)22/09/2003 - SFO may be prompted by Penrose Inquiry to investigate, reported in The Independent, the Financial Director and in The Scotsman
22/09/2003 - BBC background to strikeout action
The strikeout action by former directors that occupied five days in the High Court of Mr Justice Langley (from Sept 24th)14/09/2003 - An interview with FSA’s exiting chairman Sir Howard Davis, in The Sunday Telegraph
13/09/2003 - An interesting article by Rupert Jones in The Guardian on pensions moving towards the centre of the political stage.
10/09/2003 - Antonia Senior in The Times on the further delays to Penrose
30/08/2003 - Press coverage of the Peter Scawen Report: Christine Seib in The Times
28/08/2003 - Press coverage of the Peter Scawen Report: Simon Bain in The Herald
25/08/2003 - On the quest for a Judicial Review:'Equitable rebels act to overturn ruling' - Tessa Thorniley in The Telegraph,
24/08/2003 - On the quest for a Judicial Review: 'Retirement crisis is no mere statistical blip' Maria Scott in the Observer
24/08/2003 - On the quest for a Judicial Review: 'Equitable investors fight watchdog ruling' Maria Scott in the Observer, excellent article
03/08/2003 - Ombudsman’s sample case is not happy. Liz Dolan, Personal Finance Editor of Sunday Telegraph
31/07/2003 - Little likelihood of success for ELAS. Accountancy Age
27/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: "there's something wrong with the law", Teresa Hunter in the Herald
26/07/2003 - Michael Josephs Letter to the Editor, Financial Times
26/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: Ruth Kelly, Treasury Minister's Personal View on Sandler and stakeholders, Financial Times
18/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: Split cap scandal is FSA's biggest ever case - Ruper Jones, The Guardian
18/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: Sir Howard bows out of FSA not with a whisper, but a bang - The Independent
18/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM:Passing the baton but not the buck, Financial Times
18/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: FSA condemns culture of claims - Antonia Senior, The Times
18/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: FSA widens probe into split trust misselling, Helena Keels,Telegraph
15/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: Richard Miles in The Times on the FSA
15/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM:James Moore in the Telegraph on the appointment of John Tiner as chief executive of the FSA
15/07/2003 - The FSA's AGM: A good editorial by Patience Wheatcroft on the challenges facing the FSA
08/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report:Penrose report may be censored - official: Accountancy Age
06/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report:Sunday Times on the reception of the PO's report
06/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report: Equitable report branded 'pathetic'. Sunday Telegraph
05/07/2003 - 'Pauline Skypala on the role of the odd conclusions of the PO report is a possible cover-up conspiracy by the Treasury', Financial Times
05/07/2003 - Rules mocked by those they are meant to regulate. The Scotsman
05/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report:Pauline Skypala assesses the reaction to the P O's report. Financial Times
03/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report: Assessment by Michael Josephs of the Investors Association
03/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report: Motley Fool on the reactions to the PO report
02/07/2003 - Sir Gordon Downey's Letter to the Times regarding the Ombudsmans ruling on Equitable
01/07/2003 - The Parliamentary Ombudman's Report: ; Sir Gordon's response in a letter to The Times
29/06/2003 - Former Equitable directors seek to quash claim. Sunday Telegraph
28/06/2003 - The Guardian on action groups response to the PO's report. Rupert Jones
28/06/2003 - The Times on action groups response to the PO's report, Antonia Senior
28/06/2003 - Regulator to escape censure over fall of Equitable. The Times
27/06/2003 - Equitable investors face losses as inquiry rejects compensation. The Guardian
27/06/2003 - Equitable blame game is far from over. The Guardian
26/06/2003 - "Equitable Life deficit hit £3.3bn" Simon Bain in The Herald
25/06/2003 - The Times link about the BH Addendun by Antonia Senior
17/06/2003 - The Treasury Select Committee confirms the Penrose delays but hope to see report in September, Ample
15/06/2003 - Only 3,000 policyholders have actually received rectifications yet, Teresa Hunter in the Sunday Telegraph
13/06/2003 - ELJAG urge late-joiners to reject offer. Rupert Jones in the Guardian
12/06/2003 - ELJAG reject the ELAS proposal of 5% compensation, Press Association
12/06/2003 - BBC on 16,000 late-joiners offer letters
12/06/2003 - ELAS will appeal against the FOS adjudication, Tessa Thornilly, Telegraph
07/06/2003 - On the Inquiry delay by Lucy Warwick-Ching The Financial Times (for "former joiners" read "late-joiners!)
05/06/2003 - Confirming the delay to the Penrose Inquiry report, Rupert Jones, The Guardian
01/06/2003 - 'Equitable Life may yet count cost of mis-selling', Sunday Herald editorial
01/06/2003 - 'Whatever this is, it's not Equitable', Maria Scott editorial, Observer
01/06/2003 - 'Thousands of Equitable Life investors given hope of compensation',David Budsworth, Sunday Times
01/06/2003 - A similar story in the Sunday Telegraph
01/06/2003 - A withering editorial by Teresa Hunter in The Herald (second half)
31/05/2003 - 'Equitable Life may have to pay millions', Rupert Jones in The Guardian
30/05/2003 - Press coverage of the ELAS AGM: Independent
30/05/2003 - Press coverage of the ELAS AGM:Guardian
30/05/2003 - Press coverage of the ELAS AGM:Telegraph
30/05/2003 - Press coverage of the ELAS AGM:Times
30/05/2003 - Press coverage of the ELAS AGM:Times editorial
30/05/2003 - 'Protesters fail to halt Equitable pay deal', Antonia Senior, The Times
28/05/2003 - Curtain Raisers to the AGM: "Equitable to face grilling over £70m payout" Rachael Stevenson Independent
28/05/2003 - Curtain Raisers to the AGM: "Equitable Life compromise deal under fire" Simon Bain in The Herald
28/05/2003 - Curtain Raisers to the AGM: "Equitable's new deal condemned" Antonia Senior in The Times
27/05/2003 - "Equitable duo face tough questions" Ruth Sunderland in the Daily Mail
26/05/2003 - Curtain Raisers to the AGM: "Equitable braced for stormy ride" By Nina Montagu-Smith
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Scotsman
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Guardian
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Times
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Times Business Comment
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Financial Times
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Telegraph, finance section
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Telegraph
24/05/2003 - Write-ups on the FOS adjudications:Independent
21/05/2003 - "The £346m in bonds threatens ELAS's solvency" in the Daily Mail
20/05/2003 - "EMAG encourages members to vote against re-election of the board candidates and FOR Rodney Allen" in the Daily Mail
19/05/2003 - "Shareholders prepare rough ride for Equitable Life" by Simon Bain in the Herald
Document summary only.19/05/2003 - on the acceptance by ELAS that the FOS is qualified to adjudicate on mis-selling of sales made through Guernsey in the Guernsey Press
18/05/2003 - Re a further delay to Penrose Report in the Sunday Telegraph
17/05/2003 - Curtain Raisers to the AGM: EXCELLENT FT ARTICLE ON SMOOTHING/WP and actuaries, Stuart Fowler, in the Financial Times
13/05/2003 - "Late-Joiners group is unlikely to be assuaged by the latest planned offer from ELAS Simon Bain in The Herald
12/05/2003 - Antonia Senior in The Times on compensation offer to those who left
09/05/2003 - Interview with Charles Thompson by Simon Bain in the Herald
09/05/2003 - "Equitable chief criticises 'high-risk' policy" Simon Bain in the Herald
02/05/2003 - On the report and accounts in the Herald
02/05/2003 - On the publication of the report and accounts in the Daily Mail
02/05/2003 - On the publication of the report and accounts in The Guardian
27/04/2003 - "Important explanation to annuitants: Why the announced 20% cut was really nearer 30". Teresa
27/04/2003 - "Important explanation to annuitants: Why the announced 20% cut was really nearer 30". Teresa Hunter in the Herald on Sunday
23/04/2003 - Guernsey News
GFSC rebuts criticism over Equitable "inaction" 15/04/2003 - "Unwarranted smugness from Standard Life"
Letter by Paul Braithwaite published in the Financial Times.
11 April '03 - Accountancy Age reports the acceptance by the Honourable Mr Justice Langley of the Equitable's revised pleading and predicts a possible settlement offer from Ernst and Young not of £2,800 million claimed but nearer £200 million. 11/04/2003 - Accountancy Age
Accountancy Age reports the acceptance by the Honourable Mr Justice Langley of the Equitable's revised pleading and predicts a possible settlement offer from Ernst and Young not of £2,800 million claimed but nearer £200 million. 07/04/2003 - ELAS claim against E & Y revised to between £12m and £500m in Accountancy News
06/04/2003 - On the likelihood that the Pru may take on the whole ELAS annuitant book, Teresa Hunter in the Sunday Telegraph
06/04/2003 - "Pru to take on annuitant book prior to break-up?" Teresa Hunter in Sunday Herald
05/04/2003 - "Compensation blow for 60,000", Christine Seib in the Times
02/04/2003 - "Comment: No more reports - what we want is action on Equitable" by Liz Dolan in the Sunday Telegraph
Liz Dolan, Personal Finance Editor of the Sunday Telegraph gives her impressions of the Burgess Hodgson report and the Government's ongoing evasion of responsibility 02/04/2003 - On the withdrawl of the rectification scheme, by Simon Bain in Herald
01/04/2003 - "Misery for 60,000 as Equitable drops compensation scheme" by Antonia Senior in the Times
Antonia Senior about the abandonment of the rectification scheme and wafer thin solvency 01/04/2003 - "Equitable leaves payouts intact and plans to reinstate bonus" by Ian Bain in the Herald
01/04/2003 - Re bonuses, by Simon Bain of the Herald
01/04/2003 - ELAS admits provisions weren't enough [Second item] Robert Cole, Deputy Business Editor, at The Times
01/04/2003 - "Misery for 60,000 as ELAS drops compensation scheme." Antonia Senior in the Times
01/04/2003 - Excellent article by Ruth Sunderland in Mail on Thomson playing hardball
30/03/2003 - "Great betrayal of Equitable victims" by Jeff Prestridge in Mail on Sunday
29/03/2003 - "A black hole that raises expectations" by Pauline Skypala in the FT
Pauline Skypala identifies that the "black hole" uncovered by the Burgess Hodgson report adds to the pressure on Government for compensation. The Consumer Association has added its weight. 29/03/2003 - "Years of regulatory failure" Alex Henney's letter to the Financial Times
29/03/2003 - Anne Ashworth - Equitable Life - Opinion - From the Times
27/03/2003 - "Regulator failed Equitable policyholders as far back as the '80s" by Leslie Kraft Burke at Citywire
27/03/2003 - "Deficit habit brought down Equitable" by Simon Bail in the Herald
27/03/2003 - Various news reports with links relating to Equitables "Black hole"
27/03/2003 - "New £1bn black hole at Equitable" by Ruth Sunderland at the Daily Mail
16/03/2003 - Liz Dolan in the Sunday Telegraph
Equitable has secretly been obliged to review and payout hundreds of PIP Bonds that it had previously rejected claims from the policyholders and pay out more the £6.5 m.12/03/2003 - "MPs attack inquiry muddle" Tessa Thornilly, The Daily Telegraph
On March 11th the Treasury Select Committee published the letters it received from all involved parties on the progress at ELAS. Both Stephen O'Brien, Tory frontbench spokesman, and Norman Lamb LibDem MP on the Treasury Select Committee are quoted. 12/03/2003 - LibDem press release on compensation for all
Norman Lamb MP said: ""It is clear that if compensation proves to be payable, the only fair way of paying it is to do so to everyone who has lost out through Equitable Life, rather than restrict it to people who have gone through a particular complaints procedure." 01/03/2003 - Guardian
The ramifications of the ELAS H of L decision go far deeper than they could have imagined. Will Standard Life's "mortgage promise" end up will similar grief where the majority have to pay up for policy mistakes that advantage a minority. 26/02/2003 - Tessa Thornilly in Telegraph
Re: Penrose to TreasCom. Doubt whether the Inquiry's report will appear before the summer Parliamentary recess.25/02/2003 - BBC summary of Lord Penrose's letter to John McFall of TreasCom
23/02/2003 - Sunday Telegraph, The Class Law article
Class Law, who represent many ELAS international policyholders are the subject of a swinging attack. 16/02/2003 - Grant Ringshaw extensive article in Sunday Telegraph
Is the board courting disaster by insisting on appealing against the ruling in the strike-out action by Ernst & Young?
15/02/2003 - Antonia Senior
Review of the case against the former directors and the granting to ELAS of the right to appeal the decision against the Society re E & Y: 11/02/2003 - "Equitable dreaming of a happy ending": Patience Wheatcroft editorial in The Times
On the high risks of gambling on an appeal 11/02/2003 - Antonia Senior on the Judgement in The Times
09/02/2003 - John Humphrys (yes Radio 4s) in the Sunday Times
A crie de coeur on how we were all mugged by the with profits promises of security. You need to register.
08/02/2003 - Tom Tickell in the Independent
What happens if your pension provider goes bust 06/02/2003 - Patience Wheatcroft's editorial in the Times
On the importance of TreasCom and its interface with Lord Penrose (second item - Equitable Life must stay in public view) 02/02/2003 - Liz Dolan in the Sunday Telegraph on Equitable change of mind on compensation
01/02/2003 - Neil Collins editorial on FSA's Hitch-hikers Guide fantasy rule making for lifecos and the implicit dangers
29/01/2003 - Richard Miles, The Times Equitable highlights disparity between what LifeCos tell policyholders and returns to FSA.
26/01/2003 - Liz Dolan in Sunday Telegraph - Speculation that the FOS has found against the Society on one lead case
25/01/2003 - Leslie Kraft Burke's excellent article in The Scotsman addresses why Lord Penrose is not willing to ask Equitable to waive confidentiality on papers for an individual who believes his mis-selling claim, settled in 2000, is important evidence.
21/01/2003 - James Moore in The Times
On the final day in court for Ernst and Young’s strike-out action, during which it was revealed the Equitable’s board
had rejected an approach to merge from Scotish Widows in February 1999 21/01/2003 - Tessa Thornilly in the Telegraph
The 15 former directors of the Society have succeeded, through arbitration, in compelling their insurance provider of professional cover to honour the policy. RSA will have to pay out, only up to a maximum of £5 million. It is believe that their legal fees will absorb all that and more. So, effectively, the current board is pursuing the 15 individuals for £3 billions! 16/01/2003 - Wednesday in court in strike-out action
15/01/2003 - Scotsman on Ernst and Young admission in court
15/01/2003 - New website
http://www.investorsassociation.org - a helpful new site with discussion forums including one dedicated to Equitable 14/01/2003 - James Moore in the Times
Report on first day in court on action by Ernst and Young to strike out Equitable Life’s case claiming £2.6bn compensation. v12/01/2003 - Liz Dolan’s Sunday Telegraph editorial
Shadowy figures shuffle blindly through the gloom: "What's going on?" they whisper to each other.........There are only questions, never answers in this strange, murky world. For this is the Land of the Equitable Life Member, a gruesome place where the inhabitants are forced to move in ever-decreasing circles in pitch darkness. Once a year....a game called Agreeing to the compromise Deal.......The players are informed that, if they support the Compromise, the darkness will lift, the sun will come out and their lives will improve out of all recognition. Naturally, they all vote "yes", but the darkness continues, and they have to go round in circles. It's a very cruel game.... 12/01/2003 - Liz Dolan and James Cartlidge in the Sunday Telegraph.
Some regulator staff at the PIA moved their AVCs from Equitable in 1998. Conservatives will table questions asking why. 10/01/2003 - James Moore in the Times - Expectation of £250m payment for sales performance now thought impossible
10/01/2003 - Times
Extensive interview with Vanni Treves, who has been hurt by criticism but is aided by a loyal team of directors who he admires. 10/01/2003 - James Moore in the Times
Expectation of the payment of £250m for sales performance in 2003 and 2004 is now thought impossible to be achieved.09/01/2003 - Rachael Stevenson in the Independent
A curtain-raiser on the High Court action due to be heard from Jan 13th where Ernst and Young are attempting to have the compensation claim by Equitable struck out.07/01/2003 - Guardian
Brittanic Group with pathetic explanations on living longer, stockmarkets blah blah. What were their actuaries thinking? 06/01/2003 - Letter on the cost and ramifications of the chancellor’s stealth tax