News digest 4 October 2011
Many of the papers lead with the Amanda
Knox appeal, but the Tory party conference continues to see the
most coverage as Osborne lets slip some plans for growth while
insisting on austerity and attacks on ordinary workers. As Hammond
still refuses to meet the Bombardier workers there’s a mixed
message for manufacturing but markets drop as bank stocks suffer
even as strikes save jobs, unless you are at sea. Sainsbury’s
starts a petrol price war while Boris bikes have criminal
attraction, the iPhone 5 is almost here and the Sun on Sunday could
be coming soon…
Amanda Knox freed – Much to
George Osborne’s relief after a flat speech at the Tory party
conference Amanda Knox has knocked him off the front pages after
she was cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher
in Italy in 2007 (Mirror
p1/10-11, Sun p1/4-5,
Express p1-3, Mail p1/4-5, Times p1/4-7, Indie p1/4-5, Guardian p1-4, Telegraph p1/4-5).
Tory party conference: Osborne
outlines plan A – Chancellor George Osborne gave the main
address to yesterday’s Tory party conference but pulled very few
rabbits out of his top hat even though it looks like the government
is getting concerned about the insipid nature of growth in the
economy. Osborne called unions planning to take strike action over
pension changes as "irresponsible" - we
all know what the response to comments on ‘irresponsible strikes’
is. The chancellor also rejected calls for temporary tax cuts -
either in terms of VAT or the 50p rate - to boost growth and
instead said he was going to start lending billions of pounds
directly to small firms via so-called ‘credit easing’, so he has
admitted he can’t get the banks to lend. Osborne also plans to
restrict access to employment tribunals, and not just over unfair
dismissal. If you have a dispute over pay, sex, race or disability
discrimination, breach of contract or redundancy pay you will have
to make a down payment of some £150-£250 and possibly as high as
£1,000 if you want to pursue your claim. Unite general secretary
Len McCluskey said: "The chancellor delivered a flat
speech to match the flatlining economy that he is creating … he is
a chancellor who wants to make it easier to hire and fire at will
while making it harder for workers to challenge bad bosses. George
Osborne then has the nerve to repeat the discredited claim that we
are all in this together ... [he] refuses to see or accept the
massive economic damage his policies are creating for our
country.” (Mirror p1/14-15, Sun p2/8-9, Express p4-5, Mail p10-13, Times p12-14, Indie p1/6-9, Guardian p8-9, Telegraph p6-9, FT p1-2, Morning Star p1-2,
Unite
release).
Tory health changes a ‘car
crash’ – The Mirror
(p13) reports former health secretary - and Blair outrider - Alan
Milburn will label the proposed NHS changes as the ‘biggest car
crash’ in the NHS’ history at a London health conference later
today. Lansley addresses the Tory party conference later this
afternoon.
Tory party conference: Fujitsu workers
fight back - Hundreds of Unite members working for Fujitsu
across Manchester are staging a one-day strike today and
demonstrate at the Tory conference while Fujitsu’s chief executive
officer speaks at a Tory fringe meeting; they are taking action
over a breakdown in industrial relations, breaches of agreements
and victimisation of reps (Manchester
Evening News, Unite
release).
Tory party conference: Hammond hides
as apprentices cut - After repeatedly refusing to meet the
Bombardier workers the Morning Star (p2) reports
that transport secretary Philip Hammond was confronted by a number
of workers at a conference fringe meeting. At the same time as the
90-day notice period draws to a close at Derby’s Bombardier plant
the Mirror (p20) reports
that the train firm looks likely to axe 250 apprentices as part of
the 1,400 job cuts due to the lost Thameslink contract.
Construction company
challenged – Unite national officer Bernard McAulay
attacked Laing O’Rourke after it emerged that the company wants to
pay £24 million worth of dividends at the same time as it plans to
cut wages by as much as 30 per cent (FT p22, Unite
release).
Mixed message on manufacturing
orders – The UK saw the biggest drop in manufacturing
export orders in two years as figures showed export business is
drying up. The figures from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing
and Supply show that manufacturers are now relying more on their
backlog than new orders although data from Markit did show the
manufacturing sector expanding with its index advancing to 51.1 in
September, anything above 50 marks expansion (Mirror p48, Sun p41, Express p45, Mail p66, Times p40, Indie p43, Guardian p20, Telegraph b2, FT p4).
Markets drop as contagion
continues – A number of papers report on the continuing
impact of the eurozone crisis. Bank shares continue to be impacted
as fears over exposure to Greek debt, particularly for
Franco-Belgian banking group Dexia, weigh down on stocks (Express p44, Mail p8, Indie p44, Telegraph b1, FT p4).
Living wills for banks – And
the FT (p21) reports that
banks are now having to think the unthinkable as regulators are to
begin forcing banks to write ‘living wills’ which would make it
easier for them to be stabilised, or wound down, in a crisis. The
plans may even force banks to reorganise their legal and business
structures.
Banking jobs saved in Jordan
– The Telegraph (b2)
reports HSBC has caved in to pressure from employees in Jordan
after a week long strike forced the company to go back to the
drawing board. HSBC ripped up its redundancy notices and even
offered an eight per cent pay increase to the striking workers.
Sacking at sea – The Telegraph (12) also reports that
serving sailors have been sacked at sea as news emerged that a
fifth of medical personnel serving on Trident and hunter killer
submarines will lose their jobs.
More generals than tanks –
The Sun (p21) reports that
the UK now has more generals on active service than Challenger
tanks as figures show just 200 tanks are operational but that the
top brass of brigadiers and generals numbers 256 serving
officers.
Royal Mail to announce more job
losses - The Telegraph (b3) reports that
hundreds more jobs could go at the Royal Mail, with as many as 550
jobs to go at three mail centres in the West Midlands.
BT broadband breakdown – A
power failure in Birmingham hit BT services across the country with
thousands of broadband customers losing their connection (Mirror p48, Sun p7, Telegraph b3).
Chocolate challenge – The
Times (p43) reports
volatile raw material prices and a need for higher spending on
advertising have eaten into profits for US confectionary giant Mars
which saw only a two per cent rise in sales to £743 million while
profits dropped by five percent to £359 million.
Sainsbury’s cuts petrol
prices – The Mirror
(p48) and Guardian (p25)
say that the supermarket petrol price war is brewing after
Sainsbury’s announced a 10p a litre price cut, provided you spend
£60 in store.
Don’t cut minimum pay – The
Morning Star (p5)
also reports that unions rubbished claims from the Low Pay
Commission that the minimum wage is killing off jobs with the TUC’s
Nicola Smith presenting evidence that there has not been a
reduction in jobs as a result of the minimum wage.
Tube drivers secure £50K –
Many of the right wing papers bemoan the fact that tube drivers
have negotiated a pay deal which will see their salary rise above
£50,000 a year. The RMT has negotiated a four year deal which will
see a five percent rise this year and RPI plus 0.5 per cent for the
remaining three years (Sun
p14, Express p18, Mail p20, Times p11, Indie p22, Telegraph p16, Morning Star p3).
Boris’ criminal bikes – From
tubes to London’s streets as the Indie (p27) reports that the
Boris bikes seem to be the new getaway vehicle of choice for London
muggers after data obtained by the BBC reveals incidents involving
riders on the distinct bikes ganging up on victims, stealing
iPhones and Blackberries and then using the bikes to blend into the
background as part of their escape.
iPhone 5 on its way – The
Guardian (p24) says Apple
is keeping its suppliers in the dark over tonight’s product launch,
rumours are that there will not only be a an iPhone 5, but also an
entry level iPhone 4.5 variant as well.
Sun on Sunday coming soon –
And finally the Indie
(p11) says moves by News International to produce a Sun on Sunday
are edging closer with the appointment of a number of senior jobs
at the group after a gradual exodus of senior staff to other
papers; January looks likely as the launch date. Just what we
need…
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
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