News digest 14 April 2011
A bit of good news on unemployment starts
the digest, but if you look behind the figures the outlook is more
worrying. Elsewhere Lansley is still in the midst of a storm over
NHS reform, Cameron bangs the immigration drum while there’s
trouble at the treasury, challenges over charity cuts, and even
though the Post Office is protected a lot more businesses are
looking shaky. There’s mixed news from the car industry, more
pressures in aviation and a call for a Tobin tax, while the Mail
has a good word for Brown as Green considers returning to the
UK…
Dole down – No not another
cut in benefit payments, most papers report the unexpected fall in
unemployment, although most say it is too early to celebrate. While
the total fell by 17,000, unfortunately the number of women
claiming the dole was at a 15 year high and the number of 16-17
year olds without work hit a record 218,000. Interestingly a third
of new jobs created in the past year went to the over 65s; the
general consensus is that the overall jobs market remains fragile
(Mirror p6, Sun p12, Express p15, Mail p19, Times p35, Indie p16, Guardian p22, Telegraph p2/b1, FT p1/3, Morning Star p2)
Ninety-nine per cent of nurses say
no – Lansley loses out to vote of confidence at Royal
College of Nursing conference as pressures on the health secretary
and his controversial NHS bill increase, Unite’s health sector
backed the no-confidence motions calling for the bill to be
withdrawn. Lansley says he is sorry, but the bill is still going
ahead even though according to a King’s Fund it is full of legal
loopholes that could leave the service open to exploitation by
profiteering outsiders. Labour leader Ed Miliband is working with
crossbench peers to try and kill the bill in the Lords (Mirror p6-7, Sun p6, Express p4, Mail p4, Times p17, Indie p4, Guardian p1, Telegraph p10, FT p2, Morning Star p3, Unite
release).
Cut benefits to cut
immigration – You know the Tories are worried when they
have to play the immigration card; Cameron to outline new
immigration policy today which is to target benefit claimants and
blame Labour letting in too many immigrants disjointing communities
and contributing to the rise of the BNP, effectively he will expand
on his Munich speech in February which was roundly condemned at the
time (Mirror p4, Sun p2, Express p7, Mail p1, Times p1, Indie p17, Guardian p1, Telegraph p1, FT p4).
Treasury trouble – And the AV
battle is causing strains for the coalition as chancellor George
Osborne is taken to task by his deputy Danny Alexander who accused
Osborne of ‘dirty tricks’ over funding claims. This comes as a poll
shows that the yes campaign has a 12 point lead with 45 per cent of
people planning to vote saying they will vote yes, while the no
vote stands at 33 per cent (Times p26, Indie p2, FT p4).
Charity cuts challenge – As
Unite releases a survey that reveals the £5 billion in funding
snatched by central government is forcing charities to the wall and
shaming all claims the prime minister makes to fostering a 'Big
Society' Unite’s Sally Kosky said: “As these huge cuts
destabilise the third sector, the more hollow the government’s ‘Big
Society’ rhetoric sounds. When these services disappear - nothing
replaces them. It is delusional to suggest that efficiencies can be
made in a sector that already operates on a
shoe-string.” There are reports communities secretary
Eric Pickles introduced new laws yesterday to stop councils
disproportionately cutting charity grants; councils will now have
to give three months notice if cuts could threaten the viability of
a service, the questions is whether that goes far enough or is too
little, too late? (Times p5,
Charity Times,
Third Sector, Unite
release)
Post Office protected – Mail
unions celebrating after government concessions sees a clause
inserted in the bill that will see the Royal Mail remain the sole
provider of a universal service for ‘at least the next 10 years’
(Telegraph b5, Morning Star p2).
PCS to ballot 250,000 –
Public sector workers to be balloted over pension cuts as
government announces it will ‘mutualise’ the body that deals with
civil service pensions, some consider this to be code for
privatisation by the back door (Morning Star p1).
Businesses in distress – The
Guardian (p22) reveals a
surge in companies that are showing financial distress reporting
that 186,554 UK businesses were now facing ‘significant’ or
‘critical’ financial problems, a 26 per cent rise over the last
quarter.
Deepwater to hot water – BPs
troubles continue ahead of what is expected to be an angry AGM
today. The £10 billion deal with Rosneft looks to be on the verge
of collapse and a shareholder revolt over corporate strategy is
looking likely (Express
p65, Times p35,
Indie p22/40, Guardian p25, Telegraph b1, FT p1/21, Morning Star p3).
Price fixing penalty –
Proctor & Gamble and Unilever fined a combined total of €315.2
million for fixing washing powder prices in eight European
countries (Express p65,
Mail p73, Times p41, Indie p40, Guardian p23, Telegraph b3, FT p20).
Bus cuts – Coalition plans to
slash £95 million from local transport funding could see fares rise
by 20 per cent and cutbacks to concessionary fares for pensioners
(Mirror p16).
Toyota puts brakes on – UK
production be scaled back due to disruption following the
earthquake, work to be suspended over the Easter break at Burnston
in Derbyshire and Deeside, North Wales (Mirror p58, Times p43, Guardian p26, Telegraph b8, FT p19, Morning Star p5).
JLR gears up – But resurgent
Jaguar continues its international focus with chief executive Ralf
Speth interviewed in the Indie (p41) outlining his
vision for the marque.
Brum brum – First MG6 rolls
off Birmingham production line, 40 production staff are expected to
assemble 2,000 cars this year (Mirror p31, Sun p9, Express p28, Mail p33, Telegraph b3, Morning Star p2).
BmiBaby cuts back – From cars
to planes and budget airline to stop flights from Cardiff and
Manchester after the summer as the economic climate impacts sales,
the company does plan to expand Belfast and East Midlands routes
(Indie p43, Guardian p, Telegraph p, FT p, Morning Star p)
Swissport strike ahead? –
Unite to begin balloting members for strike action at Swissport
Cargo Services on 18 April 2011 in a dispute over the use of agency
workers and the imposition of new employment contracts for new
starters (Unite
release).
Time for a Tobin tax – And on
the international front the Guardian (p1) and Telegraph (b5) both report that
over 1,000 economists have come together to call on the G20 to
introduce a Tobin tax – also known as a Robin Hood tax – to be
slapped on City speculators to help the world’s poor.
Brown the favourite – Not
words you often hear, especially in the (Mail p28), but former prime
minister Gordon Brown has been tipped to take over the chair of the
IMF if current head Dominique Strauss-Khan steps down to contest
the French presidency.
Back to Britain for Top Shop?
– And finally the Telegraph (b1) reports Topshop
retail magnate Philip Green is thinking of returning production to
the UK and launching a manufacturing academy, no mention of whether
he’ll repatriate all those taxes that have gone abroad as well…
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
Subscribe to this post's comments using
RSS
Comments
