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Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Disney has appointed former Morgan Stanley boss James Gorman as its chair and announced plans to name a new chief executive in “early 2026” — for the first time setting a timeline for the most drawn-out and consequential succession saga in Hollywood.

The media giant has spent the past decade trying to find a replacement for its chief executive Bob Iger, making succession among the most crucial concerns for investors.

Iger initially intended to retire by 2015, but extended his contract multiple times before stepping aside in 2020. His replacement, Bob Chapek, only lasted 33 months, after which Iger returned. Iger’s current contract expires at the end of 2026.

Disney on Monday appointed Gorman, who at present leads the board’s search for a successor to Iger, as its chair from 2025. The new role will be a test of the credentials Gorman established in handling an unusually smooth CEO transition at Morgan Stanley. After 14 years running the of the Wall Street investment bank, he handed off the top job to Ted Pick while ensuring that the two other leading candidates for the job stayed on as co-presidents.

“A critical priority before us is to appoint a new CEO, which we now expect to announce in early 2026,” Gorman said. “This timing . . . will allow ample time for a successful transition.”

Iger said the board “has benefited tremendously from James Gorman’s expertise and guidance”.

“We are lucky to have him as our next chairman — particularly as the board continues to move forward with the succession process,” Iger added.

Gorman will replace current chair Mark Parker in January, after stepping down from his role as chair of Morgan Stanley in December.

Parker had decided to exit Disney’s board to focus on turning around Nike, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Given Iger’s previous contract extensions, observers in Hollywood have openly questioned whether he will leave in 2026. Disney appeared to look to quell that speculation, stating on Monday that the board would “continue to undertake a deliberate and thoughtful succession planning process”.

Disney’s board has been scrutinised for being too close to Iger, granting him multiple contract extensions and giving him a say in choosing his own successor in Chapek.

Internally, four candidates are viewed as competing for the chief’s job: television chief Dana Walden, theme parks head Josh D’Amaro, ESPN chair Jimmy Pitaro and studio head Alan Bergman.

The board on Monday said it would review both “internal candidates and external candidates”.

Disney shares were down 1 per cent in lunchtime trading on Monday.

SHOPPERS are racing to get their hands on new gorgeous light up glitter gins from a budget retailer they couldn’t believe.

The latest B&M Christmas essential is available in store nationwide for only £14.

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Designed to elevate your festive spirits, B&M are bringing customers the perfect tipple to the seasonal celebrations with the dazzling drink.

The bottle transforms the gin liqueur into a piece of festive decor that stands out.

The light-up effect looks to bring a warm, glowing atmosphere to any Christmas celebration – and would also make the perfect Christmas gift.

The gold flakes add a luxurious touch and the whimsical gonk turns this tipple into a festive centrepiece.

The two flavours available are Clementine and Winter Berries, with both measuring 50cl with a 15 per cent ABV.

Purchasers have been tagging their friends on social media to look at the gin liquer.

One fan said on Facebook: “These are pretty!”

Another commented: “They look so pretty might have to try these.”

And: “Need!”

Two recipe’s purchasers should try are the Clementine Christmas Punch and the Winter Berries Spritz:

Clementine Christmas Punch:

• Mix 100ml of B&M’s Light-up Gonk Gin Liqueur – Clementine with fruit juice.
• Add ice and stir well.
• Top with Prosecco and garnish with orange slices for a crowd-pleasing festive punch.

Winter Berries Spritz

• Fill a glass with ice and pour 50ml of B&M’s Light-up Gonk Gin Liqueur – Winter Berries.
• Add a splash of soda water and top with Prosecco.
• Garnish with berries for a refreshing and vibrant drink.

The B&M’s Light-up Gonk Gin also keeps your budget merry, with pricier competitor M&S releasing their snow globe gin liqueur for £20 for 70cl.

This is £6 more expensive than the B&M alternative, but contains 20cl more.

In past years at M&S, a 70cl bottle cost £16, but now the price has gone up to £20 – and the bottle also comes in a new gifting box.

The M&S Christmas drink has been off the shelves since 2022.

Now shoppers will be delighted to be able to buy the supermarket’s original snow globe gin liqueur again.

The bottles of M&S gin liqueur have been a festive staple for the major supermarket for years.

And due to the drink’s popularity, back in 2020 customers were given a limit and told they could only buy two at a time.

M&S didn’t sell the liqueur last year, but it is now bringing the iconic drink back.

Previously, the gin came in two flavours – Clementine and Spiced Sugar Plum – but this year, only the Clementine one will be sold.

The sugar plum bottles lit up with a cool white glow, illuminating a festive figure skater on the design of the glass.

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A HOLIDAYMAKER has lashed out at Ryanair staff for charging him £75 because his suitcase was “too big”.

Austin Price, 28, was preparing to jet off to Krakow from Bristol Airport on October 4 when airline workers asked him to stuff his luggage into a measuring stand.

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The traveller, from Plymouth, claimed the bag fit in the gap – but the “wonky” wheels did not.

Cyber security worker Austin then alleged that a “rather rude” Ryanair employee demanded he cough up an eye watering add-on fee.

The holidaymaker shamed the brand online in a post, ranting: “What kind of f**ery is this? Just been charged £75 for a bag which clearly fits. Sort this s*** out.”

However, the holidaymaker’s snaps appear to show the suitcase stuck out at the front.

The apparent error appeared to miss that Ryanair’s website states 10kg bags must fit within the three dimensions – 55 x 40 x 20cm – and his appeared to be deeper than the permitted 20cm.

Ryanair defended the decision, stating that the “passenger’s bag exceeded the dimensions allowed’ for a 10kg cabin bag and was “correctly required to pay a standard gate baggage fee of £75.”

Austin slammed the employee for “trying too much to do his job”.

He then claimed: “We had priority, with which you get one hand luggage bag and one small suitcase. I used the same suitcase I have probably used for the last three years.

“When boarding, there was one individual [member of staff] that was rather rude.

“There was a guy that was asked to put his backpack in the box and the worker’s response was that he has an attitude problem.

“The guy had his headphones on so he did not even hear him. He seemed confused; he had to put his backpack in when it obviously fit.

“They have changed the [measuring] boxes now. Before, you could wheel the suitcase in, while the new ones are like an open gap, almost like they are trying to catch people out.

“My suitcase was the size that fit in the gap and I have a photo of it sitting in, but because the wheels area a bit stiff it wouldn’t sit flat because of the weight of the wheels.

“The wheels are not the size of the suitcase. I said it clearly fits in but he said that I have to pay.

“I thought it was only going to be around £28 as it is on their website and I thought ‘that’s annoying but I’ll take the hit, gave my bank details and all of a sudden I got charged £75.”

Austin was angry at how much he was charged after already paying for Priority boarding so he could take on the 10kg case.

The customer then wrote a seething email to the budget airline.

However he claims they simply responded informing him how much he had to pay.

Austin said: “I sent an email and the response was sh*t.

“They obviously didn’t read what I wrote in the email because the response I got was them stating how much I have to pay but that’s not what I asked.

“I have already paid and was told that I shouldn’t have paid so I wanted a refund.

“I literally used it a month ago with easyjet. I flew with Ryanair in April with the same bag and had no issues.”

However Ryanair pointed out that the suitcase simply didn’t fit in the ‘fit to fly’ measuring box.

A spokesperson for the airlin said: “This passenger’s bag exceeded the dimensions allowed for a 10kg cabin bag and was correctly required to pay a standard gate baggage fee of £75 to carry a 10kg cabin bag onboard.”

The Sun Online has reached out to Ryanair for comment.

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Britain’s chancellor Rachel Reeves faces competing pressures to balance the books at her first Budget next week. She reckons that the UK has a £40bn gap in its day-to-day spending needs. Her estimate includes an admirable effort to protect key departments from real-terms spending cuts, and to build up a fiscal buffer. It also covers her own commitment to public sector pay rises; part of a £22bn “black hole” she claims the previous government left behind. Savings must be found, and painful tax rises are expected.

The problem is that Reeves has made her job more difficult by pledging not to raise tax rates on the bulk of the tax base. Labour’s manifesto promised not to raise income tax, national insurance, VAT, or corporation tax. What remains is both harder to raise revenue from and to square with the government’s pitch for growth and investment.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has warned that those with “the broadest shoulders” will bear the largest burdens. But Britain must also remain competitive for highly mobile investors, businesses and entrepreneurs, who prop-up the tax base, drive economic growth and create jobs. Small tax rises may be tolerable, but the cumulative burden on wealth-creators has to be considered. Reeves has already made plans to raise taxes on the private equity sector, and wealthy non-doms.

How can Reeves thread the needle? Unless she goes back on her tax pledges, there are limited options to raise big sums. She may raise employers’ NI and, or introduce NI to employers’ pension contributions (Reeves’s allies say the party’s tax promise focused on employee’s NI). Either would raise business costs, and risks a resulting push by employers to lower worker salaries and pension savings. Reeves would need to calibrate any rises. But, combined with a continued freezing of personal tax thresholds, she could close much of the gap.

Improved economic forecasts and government savings — including by streamlining the welfare system and cutting back on consulting contracts — could help at the margin. That then leaves Reeves with other tax tweaks, which may raise a few billion more. Here, the chancellor should focus on revenue-raisers that at least nudge the tax system in a more rational and simpler direction. For instance she could raise fuel duty. That would support the shift away from gas-guzzlers. She might consider removing some loopholes from inheritance tax, perhaps with a view to lowering the headline rate later. Significantly raising the capital gains tax rate would be unwise, but Reeves could taper uplifts at death which may help discourage asset hoarding.

Broader reform of Britain’s byzantine tax system — including IHT and CGT — is needed. But Reeves must assess the impact of multiple rushed changes at this Budget in one go. Still, she should kick-start consultations to update and simplify the tax system, so that it supports growth better. This includes reforming property taxes, particularly council tax and stamp duty, and easing cliff-edges that can discourage economic activity, such as in income tax and business VAT thresholds. This would send a positive signal that the government has a long-term plan for taxes, rather than annual fiddling.

The chancellor might also find space for some sweeteners including cutting stamp duty on shares or widening the scope of full expensing for business investment. Both would raise near-term costs, but would support long-term growth and receipts.

After winning a significant parliamentary majority at July’s election, many were hoping Labour’s first fiscal event would boost the nation’s animal spirits. The government’s broader plans to raise public investment will help, but it may not be enough to lift the mood if tax rises also make doing business in Britain less worthwhile. On October 30, the chancellor must tread carefully with her book balancing while demonstrating bold thinking about the future of the tax system. Investors and entrepreneurs are watching closely.

With the energy price cap having gone up from 1 October to 31 December, many households are now facing increased energy bills. Adding to the challenge, the government has also scrapped the winter fuel payment, making it more crucial than ever to find ways to stay warm without relying heavily on central heating. Luckily, there are several simple and cost-effective strategies to help you keep cosy this winter while reducing energy costs.

Layer Up with Warm Clothing

One of the easiest ways to stay warm indoors is by layering up with warm clothing. Wearing thermals, sweaters, and wool socks can help trap your body heat. Natural materials like wool and fleece are especially good at keeping you insulated. A hat or beanie indoors also helps reduce heat loss from your head – whilst there is some debate about the amount of heat lost through the head, it will make you feel warmer, regardless.

Use Blankets and Throws

Adding blankets and throws around the house is an easy way to stay warm. Fleece and wool blankets are great for trapping body heat, making you feel several degrees warmer. Keeping a blanket handy while sitting on the couch or working from home can provide extra warmth. Alternatives to blankets include onesies and hooded blankets.

Seal Drafts and Insulate Your Home

Draught-proofing your home is key to preventing heat loss. Cold air seeps in through gaps in windows, doors, and floors. Use draught excluders, weatherproofing strips, or heavy curtains to block these drafts. Adding rugs to tile or hardwood floors also helps retain heat and keeps your feet warm.

Maximize Natural Sunlight

During the day, take advantage of natural sunlight by opening curtains or blinds to let the warmth in. Sunlight can naturally heat your home, especially in south-facing rooms. At night, close the curtains to trap the day’s warmth and keep the cold out.

Close Off Unused Rooms

If there are rooms in your home that aren’t in use, close the doors to keep the warm air contained in the areas you’re occupying. This allows you to stay warmer without having to heat the entire house, making your home feel cosier without additional energy consumption.

Drink Warm Beverages

Sipping on hot drinks like tea, coffee, or hot chocolate is a simple way to warm up. Not only do hot drinks heat you from the inside, but holding a warm cup helps keep your hands cosy.

Cook More Warm Meals

Cooking more often during winter can add extra warmth to your home. Using the oven or stove generates heat, warming up the kitchen and nearby rooms. Prepare warm, hearty meals like soups, casseroles, and baked dishes to give your body the energy it needs to stay warm. Madras strength curry anyone?

Use Hot Water Bottles and Heating Pads

Hot water bottles are a cost-effective way to stay warm. Placing them on your lap, at your feet, or under the blanket adds warmth without using central heating. Similarly, electric heating pads or microwaveable heat packs provide quick warmth when needed. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Take Warm Showers or Baths

Taking a hot shower or bath raises your body temperature and keeps you warm for hours. The steam from the hot water also adds warmth and moisture to the air, which helps make the room feel more comfortable.

Wear Slippers or Thermal Socks

Cold floors can make the whole house feel colder. Wearing thermal socks or insulated slippers helps keep your feet warm, which in turn helps maintain your overall body temperature. Wool socks or socks made from thermal materials provide the most insulation.

Rearrange Furniture

If your furniture is placed near windows or exterior walls, it can be exposed to drafts and cold air. Rearrange your furniture to move seating areas closer to interior walls, away from windows and cold spots. This helps you stay warmer while indoors.

Leave the Oven Door Open After Use

When you finish cooking, leave the oven door open to let the warm air fill the kitchen. The heat from the oven helps raise the temperature in the room, adding warmth to your home without turning on the heating.

Insulate Your Windows

If you feel cold air coming through your windows, use thermal curtains or install window insulation film to block drafts. This simple addition helps retain heat in your home, making your living space warmer and reducing the need for extra heating.

The verdict

Staying warm in winter without turning on the heating is possible with a few simple adjustments. By layering up, sealing drafts, using blankets, and employing a hot water bottle or heating pads, you can keep warm while cutting energy bills. Follow these tips to enjoy a comfortable and cosy winter while saving on energy costs.

Disclaimer:

If you’re still feeling cold after trying these methods, it’s important to prioritise your health and comfort. Don’t hesitate to turn on your heating when needed to stay warm and safe during the winter months.