News digest 7 February 2011
Crime and cops start the digest as the
asbo goes and up to 10,000 police staff may follow, nurses say care
in the NHS is already being hit while Clegg does not like being
challenged. Over in the City interest rates could be in for a rise,
and bankers will definitely get their bonuses. There’s a new
initiative for apprentices, but will it go as well as Osborne’s
regional jobs plan, and there’s some car and train trouble but one
BBC boss is flying high…
A very thin blue line – Many
of the papers follow up on the research from the Labour party which
says up to 10,000 police officers could be cut under the Con-Dem’s
budget squeeze. And that’s not all as up to 10,000 backroom staff
could also be hit. A couple of the papers also report on today’s
announcement of a new Criminal Behaviour Order which will replace
the Asbo, although if the cuts to police continue they’ll be no one
around to enforce it (Mirror
p4-5, Express p4, Mail p10, Telegraph p1, FT p4, Morning Star p1).
Nurses nerves – RCN survey of
1,900 nurses reveals 80 per cent believe current staff shortages
threaten the quality of care as services are cut to the bone. The
Indie also features a
report on whether GPs even want to rise to the challenge of
managing the NHS’s £80 billion budget, the BMA is to hold an
emergency meeting on the changes next month (Mail p32, Indie p18, Morning Star p4).
Health adviser sacked – David
Richards from Exeter University has been sacked after challenging
Nick Clegg over his announcement of £400 million more funds for
funding mental health by saying it was not additional, well that’s
one way of reducing headcount (Guardian p2).
Clergy cuts
– And the Express (p19)
looks for cuts in NHS hospital trusts after figures from 200 of the
229 trusts show some £25 million was spent on clergymen in
2009/10.
Listen! – Quite a few papers
report on the demonstrations in libraries across the country over
the weekend, up to 481 could close (Mirror p8, Indie p16, Guardian p12).
Top fees – And on the
education front the Guardian (p6) says the £9,000 fee
which was supposed to be an absolute maximum will likely be the
norm, fees for 2012 entry are due to be set next month…
Forest retreat – But possible
better news on the forest front as Caroline Spelman signalled a
retreat over plans to sell off England’s woodland over the weekend
(Mail p25, Guardian p10).
Up in smoke – While the
Times (p37) reports on
the £1 million rent being paid for the now cancelled regional fire
centres.
Tobacco tax clouds gathering
– Industry warns Osborne over planned rise in tobacco tax saying it
will lead to more smuggling, the taxman already takes 77 per cent
of the pack price (Guardian p22).
Interest rates to rise? –
Fears over inflation could see an end to the period of stability as
there is now a 40 per cent chance that rates will go up this
Thursday (Sun p4, Times p34, Indie p2, FT p28).
Bankers benefit – But all
remains positive in the City as the government is not expected to
rein in million pound bonuses, even in state owned banks (Mirror p10, Express p2, Telegraph b2).
Council challenge – However
the government will force all council workers earning above £58,000
a year to be named as part of a ‘war on waste’ even though central
government only declares for those that earn above £150,000 a year,
whatever happened to what’s good for the goose is good for the
gander, or has Pickles got something to hide? (Express p2, Mail p16, Telegraph p1) The Morning Star (p8) also
has a feature on council cuts and how unions are responding.
Apprentices are go – But
despite all the job cuts Vince Cable is today expected to announce
a scheme that will see 100,000 new apprenticeships created, the
question is if there will be any jobs out there especially as
research in the Indie
(p14) shows 20 per cent of companies think it is too risky to take
on apprentices (Telegraph
p8).
Growth flop – And Osborne’s
plan for a national insurance holiday for firms that took on new
employees has not met expectations, Osborne announced he expected
400,000 firms to take advantage of the offer, so far just 1,500
have (FT p2)
Manufacturing costs rise –
And the Mail (p62)
reports that even though the manufacturing sector is seeing rising
demand the sector is being impacted by soaring costs.
Car prices edge upwards – But
some manufacturers are benefiting, prices for new cars have jumped
after the rise in VAT, with some rising by as much as £1,000
(Sun p24).
Leaf lacking – But Nissan is
having trouble meeting demand for its new electric vehicle, with
over 20,000 on the waiting list, the company delivered 19 in
December and 87 in January, however figures should rise especially
as Sunderland gears up fro production in 2013 (FT p20).
Fiat to go west? – With hints
of a merger between Fiat and the US’ Chrysler the head of Fiat has
hinted that it may shift its headquarters to the US provoking a
furore back in Italy (FT p1).
No inquiry? – From road to
rail and the FT (p4) also reports
that Network Rail and the TSSA are at loggerheads over a fraud
inquiry at the rail operator…
BBC boss base – And from rail
to the skies as the man behind the shift of BBC staff from London
to Salford actually commutes from Kentucky in America all at the
BBC’s expense, apparently the plans to transfer staff are not going
too well, I wonder why? (Sun
p15, Express p6)
Edited by Mik
Sabiers
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