IFAonline editor Katrina Baugh on the FSA’s recent Discussion Paper on platforms.

Alistair Darling, George Osborne and Vince Cable have kicked off the election campaign with a live televised debate on the economy which saw them trading blows on issues including the national debt, financial services regulation and long term care.

The FSA will not provide a fixed list of products advisers need to consider to be 'independent'.

The FSA will gather data from IFA firms in the run-up to the implementation of the RDR at the end of 2012 to identify firms not taking any or insufficient action to prepare for the new regime.

The FSA says it is not yet ready to create a regulatory regime for Simplified Advice as the development of this channel is still in its infancy but admits it may not be necessary for the level 4 requirement to be needed in this area.

The FSA's Sheila Nicoll has hinted today's Discussion Paper on platforms will hone in on rebates, transparency of charging and action the regulator can take to aid re-registration.

IFAs were in uproar again this week and with good cause. FSA outgoing chief executive Hector Sants and chairman Lord Adair Turner both made speeches about the broken banking sector.

Listen to Paula John, editor-in-chief of Mortgage Solutions, taking part in today's Money Box Live discussion on mortgages.

What happens if you mix red with blue - you get purple - and that just happened to be the colour worn by most of the Labour front budget during the budget.

The mortgage industry has broadly welcomed the decision by Chancellor Alistair Darling to increase the Stamp Duty threshold to £250,000 for first time buyers.