Sales of an Election PEP, marketed to take advantage of uncertainty in the run-up to British polling day, helped Legal & General achieve a 256 per cent increase in its sales of unit trust and personal equity plans, the insurer said yesterday. The group sold £443 million sterling of these plans in the first half of the year, with the popular Election PEP contributing £207 million.

Business figures published yesterday showed L&G achieved a 49 per cent increase in new individual British business to £140 million. - (PA)