9am Briefing: RBS to axe 3,500 more jobs

RBS - which is 83 per cent owned by the taxpayer - is shrinking its investment banking activities to focus on its core business and reduce risk.

Today’s announcement brings the total number of jobs shed since the crisis broke in 2008 to almost 30,000.

RBS aims to cut the balance sheet of its former global banking and markets business by £120bn to £300bn in the next three years under the plan.

• A NEW poll today showed a rise in support for independence as the row between Westminster and Holyrood over referendum plans raged on.

The YouGov survey found 33 per cent in favour of Scotland leaving the UK - up four points since May last year - while 53 per cent were opposed, down from 58 per cent.

MSPs were today debating a Labour motion calling for cross-party talks to agree the referendum arrangements and demanding a single question to give a “clear result”.

Meanwhile, former Chancellor Alistair Darling is being tipped to lead the pro-UK campaign. But the Edinburgh South West MP was not being drawn on the idea. He said: “I will play my part in fighting for what I believe in.”

• TESCO, the UK’s biggest supermarket, today revealed a worse-than-expected drop in sales in the run-up to Christmas as it admitted its Big Price Drop had failed to pull in enough customers.

Tesco, which has 2,700 stores in the UK, said the 2.3% decline in like-for-like sales excluding VAT and petrol in the six weeks to January 7 was below its own expectations and “disappointing”.

The grocer, which triggered a price war with its £500 million price-cutting campaign at the end of September, said the number of customers drawn in by its latest promotion had not been enough to offset the lower prices

• A WOMAN suffered smoke inhalation in a blaze at her home.

The 21-year-old was treated at the scene for her injuries following a kitchen fire in a second-floor flat at Bellevue Road in Broughton, which sparked at around 7.20pm last night.

It is understood she did not require a visit to hospital.

Fire crews from McDonald Road and Crewe Toll attended the incident, but the blaze had been put out before they arrived.

• RADIO chief Jay Crawford has been forced to retire after a rare condition left him battling deafness, it was reported today.

Real Radio Scotland staff were informed yesterday that their popular controller - known as Bossman Jay - would not be returning to work.

The former DJ from Edinburgh lost his hearing in his right ear after flying to Mauritius on holiday in November 2010.

Doctors told the 57-year-old that his condition - labyrinthitis - might have been caused by deep vein thrombosis on the long-haul flight.

It has left him struggling with balance and movement.