News digest 23 August 2011
Today’s digest opens with Libya, there
some more foreign orders, but Cameron says no change for Bombardier
as youth workers in his neck of the woods are on strike and while
the markets bounce bank, bank stocks drop as does the UK’s economic
performance. There are cuts at Uniq, M&B’s boss gets called to
task while Cameron could face more questions over Coulson and there
could be a strange scent in the air the next time you fly British
Airways…
Libya on a knife edge – Libya
leads most of the papers although there is conflicting evidence
coming out of Tripoli and battle continues to rage as bombs from
Nato jets rain down across the city (Mirror p1-5, Sun p1/6-7, Express p4-5, Mail p1/8-11, Times p1/3-9, Indie p1-9, Guardian p1-9, Telegraph p1-5, FT p1-3, Morning Star p1/7-8).
RAF to get new Chinooks – New
government deal as MoD confirms £1 billion deal with US based
Boeing for 14 new Chinook helicopters (Express p22, Guardian p12, FT p4).
Industry wants tax holiday –
The FT (p4) reports engineering
tycoon Jim McColl’s call for tax policy to be reshaped to
discriminate in favour of manufacturing.
Derby MP Heather Wheeler in a spin
over Bombardier – As an independent poll shows South
Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler could lose her seat, Unite calls on
the local MP to stop peddling the government line on the Thameslink
train contract and start fighting for her constituents, many of
whom could lose their jobs at Bombardier’s Derby plant. After
previously writing to the prime minister to support Bombardier
yesterday she accused the company’s bid of being 10 times more
expensive; Cameron has now also written to Labour’s Derby North MP
Chris Wiiliamson saying he would not reverse the decision or even
meet a delegation to discuss the issue (Mirror p22, Guardian p23, Morning Star p4,
Political Scrapbook, Unite
release).
Youth workers strike over cuts in
Cameron’s seat – Youth workers are striking today to
highlight Oxford country council’s plans to slash jobs and funding
for youth services. Unite’s Doug Nicholls said: “The
prime minister had the audacity to speak from his so-called
favourite youth club in Witney last week in the wake of the UK
riots, but failed to defend the county’s dedicated team of youth
workers.” Today’s action is the first in a series of
strikes (Indie p11,
Morning Star p4,
Unite
release).
Rebuilding – After the riots
a few of the papers look at the costs of rebuilding (Sun p24, Indie p11).
Markets bounce back – Falling
oil prices have buoyed world stock markets ending the period of
double digit declines while gold continues to rise breaking the
$1,900 level (Express p44,
Indie p25, Telegraph b1, FT p1).
Bank stocks drop– A few of
the papers report on the fall in banking stocks which have been
particularly hard hit making the likelihood of and sell off of the
UK state owned share minimal before the election (Mirror p48, Times p41, Telegraph b1).
Rock boss wants Lloyds
branches – Former Northern Rock boss Gary Hoffman, who
joined the bank when it was nationalised, is in the running for the
bank branches being sold by Lloyds (Sun p2).
Tighter bank rules will limit
lending – The Indie (p26) reports senior
bankers have again warned billions of pounds worth of lending to
businesses could be at risk if the government goes ahead in
separating retail and commercial banking.
Britain’s poor economic
performance – Fears of double dip rise as OECD shows
Britain underperforming all the world’s leading economies, apart
from tsunami-hit Japan (Times p25, Telegraph b1).
Pay frozen but spine
continues – The Telegraph (p1) tries to claim
that public sector staff are getting pay rises when in fact it
relates to the pay spine which rises with regards to length of
service.
MoJ’s union pay bill – Today
it is the turn of trade union members at the justice department to
be under the spotlight as a couple of papers follow up Tory MP
Dominic Raab’s figures (Mail p4, Telegraph p10).
Jarvis collapse to cost £3
million – 1,200 workers who lost their jobs after the
group went into administration are going to court in an attempt to
claim pay in lieu of notice for compulsory redundancy (Telegraph b3).
Uniq cuts – Troubled food
firm to exit desserts market and will close Minsterley plant in
Shropshire cutting 350 jobs (Times p36, Unite
release).
M&B boss grilled –
Chairman of pub group Mitchells & Butlers has been summoned to
a crisis meeting with City shareholders (Guardian p22, Telegraph p, FT p, Morning Star p)
4 million spam texts a day –
From food to spam and the Sun (p26) reports spam text messages
trying to flog dodgy financial services have doubled in a year,
people are advised to reject not reply to them.
Unis to reject 100,000 – More
on rejections and Ucas admits 100,000 candidates looking for a
university place in the current clearing round are unlikely to find
a place, phone are still ringing off the hook (Indie p12, Guardian p13).
Twitter threats for Tory MP –
Louise Mensch reports threats to her family to the police (Sun p2, Express p22, Times p11, Guardian p11, FT p4).
More Coulson questions for
Cameron – The Guardian (p1) reports that David
Cameron’s former communications director continued to receive
payments from News International even after he was hired by the
Conservative party, what’s the bet he wants to jet off on another
holiday?.
Heaven scent? - And perhaps
Cameron should consider BA as the Sun (p41) reports the airline is
considering introducing its own special scent that will be ‘wafted’
through planes. The idea is part of new marketing director Frank
van der Post new campaign called ‘Making Flying Special’ although
some jokers say it could be called ‘Red Mist’ after the events of
the last two years and the fact that the Sun (p10) also reports a businessman
was arrested after allegedly threatening to stab a BA plane’s pilot
after a boozy air range row on a flight to Heathrow…
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
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