Freud set for buy-back

Matthew Freud, the publicist closely linked to the Conservative Party leadership, is making a bid for freedom from his parent company.

His business, Freud Communications, was taken over by the French company Publicis in 2005, but he is now reported to be in talks to win back his independence. Talks between Mr Freud and Publicis are, according to the Financial Times, under way but there is disagreement over how much he should pay.