News digest 31 March 2011
The digest starts with cuts to the arts
and Cameron does not like Balls. There’s more sales of cells,
forests and airports a row over a golden hello while complaints hit
new highs, Co-op’s doing well, as are sales of Scotch, but less
good news for Adnams and is there a danger of action on someone’s
special day?
Arts Council cuts – Funding
axe is swung and over 200 arts organisations see support slashed as
theatres, festivals, galleries, orchestras and dance companies face
cuts or complete withdrawal of support. The base line cut is 15 per
cent and the result could see flagship theatres shut and arts
centres across the country close their doors. The Arts Council’s
budget itself was slashed by £100 million and its left to the
Morning Star (p1)
to note that there seems to be money to burn on the war in Libya...
(Mail p2, Times p8, Indie p4, Guardian p4-5, Telegraph p1, FT p3).
Libyan foreign minister
defects – The latest twist as the war continues with the
debate shifting to arming the rebels as both sides are beginning to
run out of arms amid fierce fighting, a defiant Dennis Skinner
warns of the danger of arming the rebels and the UK and allies
still lack a real exit strategy (Mirror p8-9, Sun p13, Express p17, Mail p6-7, Times p1, Indie p1, Guardian p1/16-19, Telegraph p1/8-9, FT p1, Morning Star p3).
Cameron loses his rag – And
is the prime minister under pressure? After avoiding answering
direct questions during PMQs, at the end of the session he launches
a broadside at shadow chancellor Ed Balls calling him the
“most annoying man in politics” even some
of the right wing press say Cameron is rattled, how long before
PMQs is subject to the cuts? (Mirror p11, Sun p2, Mail p28, Times p11, Guardian p11, Telegraph p6)
Council cuts cost £50 – The
Con-Dem cuts to councils will costs every person £50 according to
Labour party research, the figures were released as Labour launched
its campaign for the local election on Thursday 5 May, get out and
tell the Con-Dems what you think of them (Mirror p6).
Cells for sale – And justice
secretary Ken Clarke is expected to give the go-ahead for the
privatisation of Birmingham prison and Manchester’s Buckley Hall
jail today. Thousands of warders have threatened to walk out over
the move (Mirror p14).
Forests still for sale – And
even with the mass campaign the government is still on course to
sell 15 per cent of forests which should generate an estimated £100
million (Times p3,
Indie p16).
Airports for sale – And the
Competition Commission confirms that BAA must sell two of its
remaining airports, even though the company has already sold
Gatwick for £1.5 billion it will need to offload Stansted and
either Edinburgh or Glasgow (Mirror p62, Express p62, Mail p81, Times p52, Morning Star p2).
Golden hello – Lloyds Banking
Group boss Antonio Horta-Osario to get deal worth some £13 million
just for joining the bank which has shed thousands of jobs since
the banking crisis hit. As Bertolt Brecht said: “It is
easier to rob by setting up a bank than by holding up a bank
clerk.” Sun
p51, Express p4, Mail p4, Times p45, Indie p33Telegraph b3).
Barclays’ bother – Not so
good news as complaints at Barclays top 205,000 for the last six
months of 2010, in fact banks take 9 out of 10 top places of
customer complaints (Mirror
p15, Times p53,
Indie p34).
Pay for delays – And another
much complained about company Ryanair has announced it will add a
£2 surcharge to pay for the costs of compensating passengers for
delays, so you pay the charge to be compensated, top customer care
there (Mirror p62, Mail p39, Indie p36, Telegraph p1).
Pensions top up – BT has
brought forward a £505 million pension top up by nine months as it
looks to get to grips with Britain’s biggest private sector pension
deficit (Times p52,
Telegraph b3).
Co-op profits up – Mutual
sees surge in sales meaning profits rose by 50 per cent to reach
£545.7 million on sales of £13.7 billion. The company will now
share out around £500 to each of its is 10,000 workers and shoppers
will share £120 million; the board does however warn that trading
is getting harder and there is a tough year ahead (Mirror p62, Express p62, FT p20).
Scotch sells – Global sales
of Scotch whisky hit £3.5 billion, Far East and Africa driving
demand (Sun p51, Express p30, Indie p36).
Adnams dodgy hangover –
Possible shift from ale to tonic water sees beer sales down eight
per cent at the brewer. Profits falls 10 per cent to £3.2 million,
turnover dipped to £50.9 million (Sun p50, Times p56).
Miliband’s marriage – And its
congratulations to Ed Miliband who has finally announced his
wedding date, strangely the right-wing press has not called to ask
if there’ll be strikes on his special day… (Mirror p6, Sun p2, Express p2, Mail p32, Times p6, Indie p12, Guardian p3, Telegraph p11)
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
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