Taxpayer handed control of bank, hopes to start Monday

Taxpayer Phil Reeves says he is perplexed after he was yesterday handed control of one of Britain's biggest banks. The builder and decorator, who lives in Hornsey, says the news came out of the blue. "I just got a call from some guy at the Treasury, who said 'We've got a problem with HBOS, can you start next week?' " Reeves, 37, hopes to get the job started on Monday. "I've got a little job going in Crouch End which should finish this week, and I'll pop over to the bank Friday afternoon to have a look at it. I'm going to take my mate Mike with me - he's a plasterer really but he does all my money things for me, invoices and everything. We'll start work first thing Monday morning, Tuesday at the latest." The FTSE 100 rose sharply at the news before falling back.