Paragon Bank has appointed Simon Cockerill as commercial director of mortgages as it looks to further develop its buy-to-let proposition. Cockerill (main picture) will report to managing director of mortgages Louisa Sedgwick and lead the development of the lender’s buy-to-let mortgage sales, distribution and product...

The Conservatives have pledged to strip as much as £50,000 from the cost of delivering a new home through a sweeping overhaul of planning, environmental and energy-efficiency rules. Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith (main picture, inset) unveiled the package at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham...