News digest 19 May 2011
It’s a packed digest today as Clarke is
called on to resign while the head of the IMF does, a chasm on the
NHS opens up, while the education, energy and home secretary are
all in the headlines for the wrong reasons, there’s a split at the
MPC, while unemployment figures show mixed results. Strikes are at
an 80-year low, Lloyds bonuses are blasted by shareholders, a cream
boss is a clot, while Clegg’s looking for more spin…
Clarke controversy – Justice
secretary Ken Clarke was forced to apologise for remarks he made
about rape when discussing his plans to cut offender sentences for
early guilty pleas. A host of papers take him to task for the
comments, and Labour leader Ed Miliband called for his sacking at
yesterday’s PMQs. A number of papers call for him to go and he will
be under pressure when he appears on tonight’s BBC Question Time
which comes from Wormwood Scrubs prison (Mirror p7, Sun p1/4-5, Express p2, Mail p10-11, Times p3, Indie p1, Guardian p1, Telegraph p1, FT p2, Morning Star p2).
DSK resigns – The head of the
IMF stands down as more allegations appear across most papers, the
French fear there may have been a plot to discredit him ahead of
the presidential elections, while his legal team plans to reapply
for bail. The story is now starting to focus on his successor,
Cameron vetoed Brown so French finance minister Christine Lagarde
is seen as a potential head (Sun p18, Express p17, Mail p7, Times p1/15, Indie p19, Guardian p23, Telegraph b3-5, FT p6, Morning Star p6).
Lawrence retrial – After a
landmark legal judgement yesterday Gary Dobson and David Norris
will face trail for the murder of 18 year old student Stephen
Lawrence after new and sufficiently reliable evidence into the
race-hate killing has been uncovered (Mirror p5, Sun p9, Express p19, Mail p1, Times p4-5, Indie p4-5, Guardian p1, Telegraph p9, FT p4, Morning Star p3).
Huhne up before the beak? –
And energy secretary Chris Huhne is to talk to the police about the
points affair next week, the old mantra of becoming the story is
raising its head, is the problem that Cameron and Clegg don’t have
any good Lib Dem MPs that could slip into the energy driving seat
(Mirror p4, Sun p5, Express p11, Mail p6, Times p11, Indie p8, Guardian p1, Telegraph p1, FT p2).
Huhne on nuclear safety – The
Fukushima disaster spurs scrutiny of plans for new nuclear power
stations, but lessons to be learned are listed. Kevin Coyne, Unite
national officer for energy, said: "Nuclear power
workers' number one priority is safety ... the government must now
publish its energy national policy statements without delay and get
on with the job of creating the right environment for creating a
low carbon energy infrastructure fit for the 21st Century. This
includes commissioning the first new build nuclear power station
for a generation at Hinkley Point." (Mirror p2, FT p4, Morning Star p5, Unite
release)
Coalition chasm – And the
government’s health reforms come back on the agenda as Clegg tries
to differentiate himself challenging the plans for competition,
Unite national officer for health Rachael Maskell calls for the
bill to be scrapped, adding: ”Nick Clegg’s new found
assertiveness against the privatisation of the NHS is to be
welcomed – but uncomfortably for the coalition it now exposes a
chasm as wide as the Grand Canyon over the fate of the bill in
particular and the future of the NHS between the coalition
partners.” (Sun p2, Mail p8, Guardian p1/4, FT p2, Morning Star p3, Unite
release)
Kick a cop – Police jeer home
secretary Theresa May over her refusal to back down over pay cuts,
after her speech was met with police exercising the right to be
silent – she got no applause – she was repeatedly challenged and
also opposed the Police Federation’s demands for a royal commission
on policing (Express p15,
Mail p2, Times p10, Indie p8, Guardian p8, Telegraph p10).
Must do better – And Labour
shadow education secretary Andy Burnham reviews his counterpart’s
first year in the job in the Times (p41), he ends up
agreeing with the professionals, 72 per cent think Gove is doing a
bad job, time for a reshuffle?
MPC split – And with concerns
over inflation a number of papers report that a split is opening up
in the monetary policy committee over raising interest rates, there
are now three firm dissenters that want an immediate rise
considering rising inflation more dangerous than rising
unemployment (Mirror p58,
Times p42, Indie p35).
Unemployment dips – Talking
of which UK unemployment falls 36,000 to 2.46 million but the
change masks more dangerous long term trends as the number of
people unemployed for over 12 months increased by 20,000 to
850,000, the highest number since January 1997, and the number of
people claiming jobseeker's allowance rose by 12,400 in April to
1.47 million. In addition 75 per cent of the 12,400 extra people
claiming jobseeker's allowance were women, the highest figure since
October 1996 and the number of male claimants also rose for the
first time since January. Regional variations saw Wales (down
10,000), and the South East (down 17,000) gain while London (up
6,000) and the north east (up 4,000) were hit the hardest (Mirror p10, Times p42, Indie p35, Guardian p1, Telegraph b4, FT p4, Morning Star p3).
Strikes at 80 year low – And
despite calls for more restrictions on the right to strike the
Mail (p67) reports that
strikes are at an 80 year low, with 145,000 working days lost to
industrial action in the year to March 2011.
Swedish sweatshops? – But
don’t try and strike at IKEA, the Morning Star (p8-9) has a
feature on the less savoury practices of the iconic firm in the US,
including people put on report for going to the rest room.
Pay cut – Latest figures show
that all workers will face a three per cent pay cut in real terms
as inflation remains high and employers have the power in wage
negotiations (Guardian
p24, Telegraph b2).
PCS votes yes for action -
Civil servants have voted to ballot for strike action in protest
against changes to their pay and pensions. The decision raises the
prospect of 500,000 public servants striking in June, bringing
schools, universities, courts and Whitehall to a standstill
(Mirror p2, Express p29, Times p45, Guardian p14, Telegraph p2, FT p2, Morning Star p2).
Lloyds bonuses blasted –
Angry shareholders at yesterday’s AGM attacked the Lloyds board for
“gross overpayments” to those responsible for the crisis and also
singled out the excesses paid to former boss Eric Daniels who was
at the helm during the financial crisis and the PPI insurance trick
(Mirror p48, Sun p46, Express p64, Mail p65, Times p39, Indie p31, Guardian p26, Telegraph b4, FT p17).
RBS banker in the clear – The
Sun (p46) also reports on a
banker was allowed to resign with a clear record after even though
he admitting forging customer signatures, he now works for
Santander, is there nothing bankers can’t get away with… well the
FT (p1) says the FSA is planning a
bonus crackdown on banks to make sure that reserves are not
raided.
Slump causes tears at
Mothercare – On the high street the baby-gear retailer has
announced it will close over a quarter of its stores after profits
collapsed to £8.8 million and sales fell four per cent; 500 jobs
will go (Mirror p26,
Sun p46, Express p65, Mail p65, Times p45, Indie p33, Guardian p25, Telegraph b1, FT p20).
Olympic route outlined – With
all the high street closures there will probably be plenty of space
for people to watch the Olympic torch on its tour around the
country (Mirror p23,
Sun p20, Express p28, Times p22, Indie p18, Guardian p15).
Bye bye Ronald? – And
coulrophobes everywhere could be breathing a sigh of relief if
McDonald’s takes the advice of campaign group Corporate
Accountability International which has called on the fast food
chain to drop its happy meals and trademark clown for the good of
the nation’s health (Sun
p32, Indie p25).
Clot boss – Head of clotted
cream firm Andrew Rodda was blasted yesterday after he complained
that his workers – who are paid just above the minimum wage – did
not deserve a pay rise but just should be taught to manage their
money better. Unite’s Jennie Formby said: “The
Victorian workhouse attitude seems to be alive and well ... Mr
Rodda should try living on the minimum wage and see how he manages.
He has no business patronising his staff in order to pay them a
pittance.” (Sun p20, Express p39)
Probably in want of a better pay
rise - Carlsberg UK lorry drivers reject a 2.75 per cent
pay rise (Road
Transport).
Flight tax trashes tourism –
From food to flights and a report commissioned by budget airlines
including easyJet says that 77,000 UK jobs could be affected by the
hike in air duty blowing a £475 million hole in the tourist trade
(Mirror p48, Sun p46, Mail p66, Guardian p26).
Airbus aid ok? – And the
ongoing spat between Airbus and Boeing over the WTO and state aid
looks to be coming to a head after both sides claimed they had won
out of the ruling that said Airbus benefited from some illegal
subsidies, but not for the A380 superjumbo (Express p64, FT p6).
Loads more spin – And finally
the Telegraph (p10)
reports that the deputy prime minister’s office is looking for six
more spin doctors to try and help turn around Clegg’s image, he
wants to increase the number to 11, but no matter how hard you spin
I expect that’s a lost cause…
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
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