Friday High Five – the news this week

Well that was a noisy week of rows, division and mudslinging. A world dominated, it would seem, by angry men.

We’ve seen a terrible ogre elected to parliament in the Rochdale by-election at the end of a week loaded with mistrust and bad faith actions.

Next week we’ve got the Budget. Which will no doubt be politically driven and laced with more of the same.

Andy Burnham called out the government’s transport announcement this week with the accusation that they were taking the people of the North for fools.

In business it’s been a bit of the same with Ryanair founder Michael O’Leary agreeing an uneasy peace with Manchester-based online travel agent On the Beach, who O’Leary and his team had cheerfully been calling “pirates” and accusing them of being a “scam” after losing a court battle over refunds to customers.

Fair play to the BBC for nailing an interview with Mohsin Issa this week.

It’s pretty clear there were a few no-go areas – private jets, his personal life, tax avoidance – but the ongoing relationship with his brother, which sits at the core of his enterprise, hung heavily over the slightly awkward encounter with a man not used to the limelight.

Next week we’re hoping to bring you a real zinger of a story, some more exclusive insights into deals, and updates from the turbulent fast-changing world of professional services.

But it’s also a week that will see us celebrate International Women’s Day. Maybe too, a time to dial down on the strutting.

Have a peaceful weekend.