News digest 8 February 2012
Top of today’s digest is the latest on the health and social
care bill as the Lords hears the report stage of the bill. Many of
the papers lead with Cameron putting his full backing behind the
bill with the prime minister expected to force it on to the statute
book. However that may not square with the Mirror which reports on
an as yet unnamed Downing Street adviser who called health
secretary Andrew Lansley a ‘disaster’, no argument there. As the
mobilisation for the NHS lobby and rally on 7 March continues those
opposed to the bill are mourning with the 116-year-old Community
Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association today coming out in
opposition. Will the government listen? Cameron seems hell-bent on
railroading through the effective privatisation of the NHS, but the
Sun has a poll which puts Labour five points ahead; time for
another of Cameron’s famous U-turns.
And from NHS cuts to job cuts and in what Unite’s David
Fleming describes as “devastating” the banking sector sees another
1,000 jobs axed at Lloyds with hundreds more possibly under threat
at Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks. All this as the bonus row
continues, RBS boss Stephen Hester takes to the airwaves and
chancellor George Osborne says “it is time to stop attacking
bankers bonuses”, perhaps he’d have more agreement if he removed
‘attacking ‘ from his statement.
Bumper profits are also in the headlines
as BP plans to dish out a £2 billion dividend and Glaxo has upped
its dividend too, although the company is removing money from
Europe amid fears over the future of the euro. There’s a mixed
message on the Greek bailout with some saying it is near and others
that Greece is just days away from ejection.
Talking of ejection the Telegraph reports
that airlines have won a legal ruling which means they could bring
in a ‘fat tax’ for larger passengers, easyJet is also under
pressure (over bonuses of all things) and Air France is hit by
strike action. However it’s better news on the road as the FT
reports Toyota rebounds, and on the tracks the FT reports that
Bombardier Derby plant’s future may be secured for the next three
years, would be even longer if the government reviewed the
Thameslink contract and awarded it to Bombardier…
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Today’s front pages
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Mirror: £40 million cost of
tracking Abu Qatada
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Sun: Ta-Ta Qatada
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Express: Colder than the
north pole
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Mail: Hate preacher Hamza
could be set free
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Times: Cameron defies critics
and backs NHS reforms
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Indie: Last ditch fight to
save Lansley’s reforms
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Guardian: Tale of two cities
(Syria)
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Telegraph: Pensioners ‘
passed like parcels’ by care agencies
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FT: Glencore Xstrata merger
threatened
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Morning Star: Family's
tearful plea for justice
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Daily Mirror
Sun
Express
Mail
Times (no links all
stories behind paywall)
- Cameron defies NHS critics (p1/8-9)
- Times editor apologies for email hacking (p1/4-5)
- Liverpool to hold ‘super-mayor’ election on 3 May (p10)
- Punishing bankers won’t create jobs says Osborne (p13)
- There’s only half an answer to high pay: Growth – Daniel
Finkelstein (p23)
- I want reform, but this health bill is a disaster – Alan
Milburn (p25)
- Xstra investors demand more (p35)
- BP warns it will come out fighting over Gulf spill (p39)
- Lloyds’ cull claims another 1,000 staff (p41) – Unite
cited
- Australians to sell Clydesdale and Yorkshire (p41)
- Greece misses key step on road to rescue (p43)
- There loss is our gain, says Tui Travel (p43)
Indie
Guardian
Telegraph
FT (no links all stories behind
paywall)
- Glencore Xstrata merger threatened (p1/20)
- Hester revelas £38 billion RBS salvage bill (p1)
- Editor of Times apologies (p1)
- Cuts will hit forces’ capability, say MPs (p2)
- Bombardier’s Derby factory ‘secured’ (p2)
- Osborne warns of anti-business mood (p3)
- Awkward squad – Conservatives ruffling feathers at Westminster
(p3)
- Lansley under fire over NHS reform (p4)
- Rise in permanent jobs offers glimmer of hope (p4)
- GSK cuts Europe risk (p17)
- BP signals optimism (p18)
- Toyota rebound sparks rise in profit forecast (p19)
- Air France hit by pilot strike (p19)
- easyJet facing pressure over executive bonuses (p23)
- Tui Travel pins £131 million loss on Europe crisis (p23)
Morning Star
Yesterday’s
Unite releases
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
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