LONDON (Reuters) – Britain has torn up a deal awarding one of its biggest rail franchises to a private operator, in a humiliating U-turn that raises doubts about the government’s handling of the privatised railways.

Ministers froze three more rail franchise competitions on Wednesday after the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that “completely unacceptable” flaws had been uncovered in its handling of bids to run the West Coast Main Line, a jewel in the crown of the rail network that links London and Scotland.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain scrapped a 6 billion pound ($9.7 billion) deal on Wednesday to award one of the country’s biggest railway franchises to FirstGroup Plc (FGP.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), blaming government officials for serious mistakes in the bidding process.

In an embarrassing U-turn, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said that “completely unacceptable” flaws had been found in the way rival bids to run the West Coast Main Line were calculated and the process would have to begin again.

LONDON (Reuters) – The government scrapped a 6 billion pound deal on Wednesday to award one of the country’s biggest railway franchises to FirstGroup Plc, blaming their own officials for serious mistakes in the bidding process.

In an embarrassing U-turn, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said that “completely unacceptable” flaws had been found in the way rival bids to run the West Coast Main Line were calculated and the process would have to begin again.

LONDON, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Britain scrapped a 6 billion pound
($9.7 billion) deal on Wednesday to award one of the country’s
biggest railway franchises to FirstGroup Plc, blaming
government officials for serious mistakes in the bidding
process.

In an embarrassing U-turn, Transport Secretary Patrick
McLoughlin said that “completely unacceptable” flaws had been
found in the way rival bids to run the West Coast Main Line were
calculated and the process would have to begin again.

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s economy contracted less than thought during the second quarter, offering a higher base for an expected return to tepid growth and lifting the pound while supporting share prices.

Other data showed Britain’s financial position worsened, although economists said the biggest current account deficit on record was partly because of lower returns on investments in the crisis-hit euro zone.

LONDON (Reuters) – British gangster Charlie Richardson, one of the most feared underworld figures of 1960s London who fought a vicious turf war with the more famous Kray brothers, has died, his family said on Thursday. He was 78.

A scrap metal dealer, he built a criminal empire based on fraud, protection rackets and gambling that earned a reputation for extreme violence and brutality.

LONDON (Reuters) – British police accused of serious failings and a cover-up over the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster could face investigation after their force said on Thursday it was preparing to refer the case to the police watchdog.

South Yorkshire Police, the force in northern England at the centre of the scandal, said it was ready to refer the matter to the national watchdog that has powers to recommend prosecutions.

LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday he was “profoundly sorry” for failures and cover-ups in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough soccer disaster in which 96 spectators died after a crowd crush in the stadium.

He was speaking as an independent report found that police at the time had scrambled to deflect the blame for Britain’s worst sporting disaster onto Liverpool soccer fans to cover up their own flawed response.

LONDON (Reuters) – Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday he was “profoundly sorry” for failures and cover-ups in the wake of the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster in which 96 spectators died after a crowd crush in the stadium.

He was speaking as an independent report found that police at the time had scrambled to deflect the blame for Britain’s worst sporting disaster onto Liverpool football fans to cover up their own flawed response.