Outlook: Shock, horror. Alexander to stay

In search of some light entertainment this Christmas? Then why not ring up the corporate affairs department at NatWest and ask when Lord Alexander is quitting as chairman. Better still, ask if he is being forced out by disgruntled institutions.

The abridged version of the answer runs as follows: "That is totally incorrect, complete guff, absolute fiction. We are at a total loss to know where this idea comes from. To say that institutional investors have made Lord A quit is utter rubbish. No discussions of that nature have taken place and nothing has been decided much less agreed. This is just not an issue. Nothing along these lines has been discussed. Furthermore, we are not recruiting non-executive directors to take over from Lord A. No discussions about his retirement or the succession have been held, no decisions have been made and there has been no pressure from institutions. As far as we are concerned he is still very much our chairman."

So it's all true then?