News digest 24 November 2010
Unite general secretary designate Len
McCluskey meets the press at today’s official announcement of the
general secretary election result, before it’s back to bail outs
and cuts, its costly in the country and there’s pain on the train
to come, read on to find out more…
Len’s launch – ‘A champion
for workers’ says Kevin Maguire in the Mirror (p8). Today sees Unite
general secretary designate Len McCluskey meet the press as the
announcement of the result of the general secretary election is
formally declared. Len set out his vision for leading the country's
biggest union and fighting back against the coalition government's
austerity agenda and Unite’s plans to mobilise its 1.5 million
members in its campaign titled Don’t Break Britain (Unite
release).
Contagion concern – Markets
continue to face pressures as fears the contagion could spread
across Europe, most papers report on the fears of a financial
meltdown in Ireland while Cameron warns of an economic invasion of
Irish migrants if the Irish economy collapses (Mirror p14, Sun p2, Express p64, Mail p17, Indie p6, Guardian p24, Telegraph p4, FT p1, Morning Star p1).
Migration cut – And home
secretary confirms that the borders will be tighter, only 21,700
non-EU migrants will be allowed in next year, although the FT notes
that the door is wide open for the wealthy, how odd (Sun p25, Mail p12, Times p10, Indie p15, Guardian p4, Telegraph p4, FT p1).
Housing timebomb – The
Mirror (p49) has an in depth
look at how the government’s housing changes could see 134,000
forced to move.
Council timebomb – And more
cuts across councils. Bradford city council has said it plans to
cut a fifth of its workforce, but if that is not shocking enough as
a Christmas present it has issued redundancy notices to all its
staff. Unite is demanding the council retracts the letter
immediately (Unite
release, Morning
Star p4).
Tests unfair – The FT (p2) reports that the incapacity
benefit test has been deemed unfair; the government had claimed
that a quarter of claimants would be judged fit for work.
Education threats – Many
papers note the latest report from Ofsted saying pupils are being
failed by ‘dull and inspiring’ lessons and calls for sackings
(Express p27, Mail p2, Guardian p8, Telegraph p14).
Listen and learn – But Clegg
says students should hold back before demonstrating over fees for
higher education, while separately police are targeting radical
student activists (Indie p8, Guardian p13/17).
NHS meltdown – And health
secretary Andrew Lansley was forced into a corner as members from
his own party on the health select committee argued that he is
presiding over a meltdown (Morning Star p4).
The cost of country living –
And if you want to escape to the country to get away from all the
cuts then it may be harder as researchers from Loughborough
University have warned that rural workers need 50 per cent above
the basic wage to make ends meet. Unite national officer Ian
Waddell welcomed the report as vindicating the union’s campaign to
save the Agricultural Wages Board (Morning Star p5).
Pain on the train – And
getting to the country will cost more; all the papers feature the
rise in rail prices, although different papers say different rises,
generally the range is from 6 per cent to as much as 14 per cent,
whatever happens it will cost a lot more to get on the train from
next year (Mirror p26,
Sun p13, Express p8, Mail p13, Times p3, Indie p16, Guardian p9, Telegraph p1, FT p2, Morning Star p5).
Anger in the air – More
coverage of the BA cabin crew member sacked for running a Christmas
collection (Indie,
Telegraph b2, Morning Star p5).
Airbus lift off – Rolls-Royce
gains after Qantas says flights of its Airbuses are to resume
(Mirror p, Sun p, Express p64, Mail p74, Indie p30, Telegraph b5, FT p34).
De La Rue lose – Fear that
one of the print company’s key clients in India may not renew its
contract, although the company is likely to announce a new boss
expected to be Chloride’s Tim Cobbold (Sun p60, Express p64, Mail p73, Times p53, Indie p34, Guardian p27, Telegraph b3, FT p10).
Nationwide profits – Bank
announces £147 million in profits although overall levels have been
hit by bargain mortgage rates (Mirror p52, Times p48, FT p19).
Severn Trent cuts staff despite making
£100 million profit – 275 jobs to go as profits are
halved, but board plans to pay more dividends to shareholders
(Mirror p52, Sun p60, Mail p72, Telegraph b2).
O2 share offer – Telecomms
company offers staff the option to buy £1,000 worth of company
shares (Mirror p52).
FBU offer – The Morning Star (p5) reports
that the FBU will ask members to consider a revised deal from the
London Fire Authority.
GMB leader re-elected – And
back to union leaders as Paul Kenny has been re-elected unopposed
for another five year term as the GMB’s general secretary and
treasurer (Morning
Star p5).
Korean calamity – And in case
you weren’t worried about the contagion all papers report on the
crisis in Korea as artillery rains in from the north, South Korea
is considering its response, North Korea has nuclear weapons,
hopefully we’ll all still be here tomorrow (Mirror p6-7, Sun p10-11, Express p11, Mail p4, Times p4, Indie p1, Guardian p1, Telegraph p1/10, FT p1, Morning Star p7)
Edited by Mik Sabiers
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