News digest 25 November 2011
The digest starts with a round of coverage
of the new Unite general secretary and a call for change for all
working people in the country, then its back to cuts in Ireland,
more uproar for university students, goodbye to the Harrier, no
fair tips, but bonuses for bankers while more staff may be cut,
there’s good and bad news in the car sector, while Rolls-Royce gets
another big order, read on to find out more…
The people’s general – Is the
Guardian (p10) headline as it
covers the election result announcement for the new Unite general
secretary, Len McCluskey, highlighting Len’s call for action and
unity: “We will join together the public and private
sector workers.” There’s coverage across most papers,
predictably the Sun (24) is most negative, but
there’s a good spread in the Mirror (p8-9) where Len
highlights his political aims as well as showing his personal side
and why he will always be ‘Red Len’ as a Liverpool supporter. Len
also trailed Unite’s Don’t Break Britain campaign: “We
will campaign alongside those who cannot take strike action to save
their services – those dependent on benefits, people on NHS waiting
lists, school children deprived of sports facilities, pensioners
anxious about fuel bills. Don’t Break Britain will be about our
union with its roots in the communities placing itself at the heart
of the growing movement of resistance to the cuts.”
(Unite
release,
Express, Mail p, Times p25, Telegraph p20, FT p2, Morning Star p2,
Pioneer,
BBC).
The axe swings – And for an
example of what cuts could mean the news from Ireland worsens as
almost 25,000 public sector jobs were slashed, the minimum wage was
cut by 12 per cent and VAT will go up to 23 per cent, oh but
corporation tax stays at 12.5 per cent, definitely not all in it
together there. Elsewhere there are fears that Belgium will be the
next country to be caught in the contagion that is hitting Greece,
Portugal and Spain; and Germany may be losing patience on the bail
out front. (Mirror p26, Sun
p10, Mail p79, Times p3, Indie p1, Guardian p1, Telegraph b1, FT p1).
Kicked out - The Express (p1) uses this all as an
excuse to call for Britain to come out of Europe, something that
would be endorsed no doubt by the UKIP MEP who was thrown out of
the European parliament for Nazi slurs against a German MEP
(Mirror p44, Guardian p6, Telegraph p23).
Kicked in – Another day of
student demonstrations sees a police van targeted, but the main
story is thousands of students across the land are protesting
against government policy. At the same time education secretary
Michael Gove announces changes to English education which could
result in a proper two-tier system, they will soon be mobilising
school children against the cuts and changes, altogether now
school’s out for ever… (Mirror p1, Sun
p11, Mail p1, Times p4, Indie p6, Guardian p1, Telegraph p4, Morning Star p1)
NHS lottery – The Telegraph (p2) highlights an NHS
atlas of variation which shows the true extent of the NHS postcode
lottery.
Post offices cut – And the
Mirror (p24) reports that 1,000 post
offices are under threat of closure (Telegraph p21).
Air cuts - Harriers take off for last
time – Most papers cover the final mission for four
Harriers as they took off from the soon to be scrapped HMS Ark
Royal (Mirror p39, Sun
p33, Express p6, Times p1, Guardian p21, Telegraph p2/27).
BAE to sack 360 shipyard
workers – 90-day consultation starts with workers at two
sites on the Clyde (Morning Star
p2).
Growth dips again – Back to
economic data and the latest GDP figures show a 0.8 per cent rise,
down from 1.2 per cent in the previous quarter, are cuts starting
to bite? (Mail p79, Guardian p35).
Inflation pressures remain –
Latest round up sees car costs rise six per cent over past year,
although food price rises are slowing, but that is likely to
reverse as VAT goes up in six weeks (Express p30).
Pay rises still subdued –
Average rise of just two per cent, but with rising VAT and other
pressures bosses will find it hard to keep levels down next year
(Mirror p2, Telegraph b10).
Not fair – And Cameron is
challenged in the Commons over tips being used to top up the
minimum wage for restaurant workers, while supporting the idea he
does not provide full backing as the Con-Dem government plans to
shelve a review of the industry code (Unite
release, Mirror p6, Indie p24, Morning Star p4).
No protection for rural
workers – And Cameron also rebuffed the opportunity to
protect poorly paid rural workers when asked about abolishing the
Agricultural Wages Board, instead he backed bankers’ bonuses, what
a surprise (Morning Star p2).
Bankers looking at bonuses –
Much as you can imagine them counting all the money in front of
them this is instead plans to look at regulating their own bonuses
reports the Times (p53), now where did I
hear about the failure of self regulation …
More bank staff jobs to go? –
But while bankers bonuses are being discussed in an interview in
the Mail (p80) Lloyds chief Eric
Daniels says that in terms of job cuts the group is only two thirds
of the way through the process, the combined group has cut 24,000
jobs so far, so that means another 12,000 are at risk…
Don’t split my bank – And the
FT
(p19/21) also reports Eric Daniels asking the government not to
force Lloyds to split off HBOS but instead protect the ‘competition
waiver’ that the bank received due to its size…
Board room shifts –Northern
Foods boss Stefan Barden is to join catering suppliers Brakes
(Indie p40).
United Utilities leak – Water
company sees profits drain away, falling 24 per cent to £196
million (Express p65, Telegraph b5, FT p22).
Scots price rises – Scottish
Power increase prices today, electricity rises by nine per cent and
gas by two per cent (Mirror p66).
SAB buys again – Brewer pays
$40 million for Argentina’s third biggest brewer Cervereceria
(Times p65, Telegraph b4).
Toyota recall – The FT (p25) looks
at the latest troubles for the Japanese carmaker.
Porsche purring – Luxury
carmaker reports profit margins have reached 19.6 per cent and
doubles workers’ bonuses (FT p24).
Rail rumbled – The UK has the
most expensive rail in Europe (Sun p16). The government is
expected to announce plans for £8 billion of investment in
Britain's railways today, but passengers face higher ticket prices
to pay for it.
Rolls-Royce sky high – Yet
another order, this time a £750 million deal with Emirates
(Mail p81, Guardian p34, Telegraph b4).
Boris wants another airport –
And finally London mayor Boris Johnson could start making a call
for a fourth London airport, well suppose he has to be seen to be
doing something as he’s been quiet of late (Guardian p12).
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
Subscribe to this post's comments using
RSS
Comments
