Reunited British rockers The Verve have threatened to withhold their first album in 10 years from EMI in protest over the record label’s financial security.

The Bitter Sweet Symphony stars are lining up a new album for later this year - their follow-up to 1997’s Urban Hymns - but are reportedly reluctant to release the disc while EMI’s internal structure is in such turmoil, with a further 2,000 employees set to be made redundant over the next few months.

And The Verve are not the only artists to express their discomfort at the label - Coldplay and Robbie Williams are also alleged to be delaying the release of their new albums until they receive reassurances from the firm.