Thursday newspaper round-up: Water bills, Brexit, Imperial Brands

(Sharecast News) - Households in England and Wales will see their water bills rise by an average of £31 a year, as suppliers pay to fix leaky pipes and cut pollution. The industry regulator Ofwat said on Thursday it would allow companies to raise average bills will rise by £157 over five years to an average of £597 by 2030 to help pay for investment. - Guardian The damage from Brexit to trade links with the EU cost the UK £27bn in the first two years, but the overall impact was more limited than forecasters first estimated, according to the most comprehensive review of the issue since Britain fully left the bloc at the start of 2021. Researchers based at the London School of Economics found that trade barriers had been a "disaster" for small businesses and had forced thousands to stop trading with EU nations. - Guardian

Britain's energy watchdog is set to be handed stronger powers as Ed Miliband battles to lower bills as part of an election manifesto pledge. On Thursday, the Government launched a review into the future of Ofgem, which could result in the regulator getting more power to force companies to compensate customers directly when things go wrong. - Telegraph

The Observer has appointed its first female editor in more than a century following its controversial sale to loss-making start-up Tortoise. Lucy Rock, who is currently acting editor of The Observer, will do the job permanently at the Sunday newspaper. James Harding, the former BBC News chief who leads Tortoise, will become editor-in-chief. - Telegraph

The chief executive of Imperial Brands, the maker of Gauloises and JPS cigarettes, has seen his total pay reach more than £9 million, making him one of the best-paid bosses on the FTSE 100. Stefan Bomhard, 57, was paid almost £9.1 million for the year to the end of September, up from £8.9 million the previous year and £3.4 million in 2021, his first full year in charge. - The Times