What the Sunday papers say

SUNDAY EXPRESS

BRITAIN’S economic growth was blown off course during the first quarter by the Beast from the East, sterling strengthening and waning consumer confidence, official figures are set to show on Friday. VIRGIN Active is trialling cashless gyms, where members pay for items using their contactless credit and debit cards, according to UK managing director Robert Cook. THE Government is close to completing the sale of the rump of Bradford & Bingley’s mortgage book, which will bring the taxpayer closer to recouping all the money spent on bailouts. SUNDAY TIMES

THE boss of Whitbread is expected to open the door to a break-up of the FTSE 100 giant this week, after mounting pressure from an activist hedge fund. THE City dealmaker Amanda Staveley is seeking damages of up to £1.5billion from Barclays over the bank’s emergency fundraising during the financial crisis. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

METRO Bank is facing growing investor anger at the use of company money to fund the lavish lifestyles of its chairman and his wife after new details emerged about corporate expenses. WPP is facing an investor backlash over the terms of Sir Martin Sorrell’s departure which puts him in line for a £20million windfall. OBSERVER

EXPECTATIONS that the UK’s interest rates will rise in May could be overblown, the governor of the Bank of England has indicated.