News digest 9 June 2011
The digest starts with good news for car
production with investment from Nissan and BMW, before cable is
taken to task on two fronts, Cameron’s latest U-turn confirms a
trend while the action in Southampton deepens and 3,000 jobs could
go at Southern Cross, the poor are squeezed, oil prices rise, but
Punch offers a price pledge while former premier Blair
pontificates…
Nissan sticks with Sunderland
– The digest kicks off with some good news as Nissan – Britain’s
biggest carmaker - announces that it plans to invest £192 million
to build a new version of its Qashqai model in Sunderland. Tony
Burke, Unite assistant general secretary, said: “The
news that Nissan will design, engineer and build the new Qashqai
model, in a £192 million project, is good news for UK
manufacturing, good news for the UK car industry and good news for
the north east and will safeguard thousands of skilled jobs. This
vote of confidence in the Nissan workforce, and the UK car
business, proves once again that given the opportunity the UK can
remain a strong manufacturing base for the world’s top
producers.” Some papers also trail today’s
announcement about more investment by BMW in its Mini plant, a good
day for manufacturing and an example of how listening to and
working with workers makes a difference, an argument made by Unite
on the leading left wing blog
Left Foot Forward yesterday (Sun p32, Express p15, Mail p67, Times p40, Indie p30, Guardian p26, Telegraph b2, FT p4, Unite
release).
Cable told to get tough on
banking – The business select committee heard from most
leading bankers yesterday as they discussed plans to split retail
and investment banking operations as well as the future of the
banking industry. Stephen Hester, RBS chief executive, admitted
that some of the government money to support the banks may have
leaked into the bonus pool (he got £7.7 million last year) while it
emerged that only Lloyds and Santander were meeting their lending
pledges. Comments by business secretary Vince Cable to the
committee were condemned by Unite. David Fleming, Unite national
officer, said: “Vince Cable - along with the rest of
this government - has done nothing but make grand statements on
banking reform, action is what is needed not more banking rhetoric
… [the] comments by the business secretary reflect the total
failure of this government to increase lending or improve
competition in the banking sector.” (Mirror p4, Sun p45, Express p1, Mail p2/66, Times p41, Indie p31, Guardian p27, Telegraph b5, FT p4, Morning Star p3, Unite
release).
Jail U-turn effectively
confirmed – Cameron wobbles at PMQs as he is challenged
over whether he will abandon his plans for 50 per cent reduction in
sentences for early guilty pleas, all papers report on the
government’s latest U-turn, it’s getting to be a bit of a habit for
Cameron. The Mirror (p6)
lists the top ten U-turns, while the Sun (p1) calls for Clarke to be
sacked (Express p2,
Mail p9, Times p5, Indie p6, Guardian p,12 Telegraph p10, FT p2).
Pension climb down on the
cards? – And the furore over raising the state pension age
for women earlier than planned could see Cameron climb down as 161
MPs have signed a commons motion objecting to grossly unfair move
as 85 per cent of women affected will have worse pensions (Mirror p7, Express p4).
Incoherent localism – And
more bad news for the prime minister as Cameron’s plans to devolve
power from Whitehall to local communities are in disarray according
to the communities’ select committee. The committee says ministers
– including Eric Pickles and Grant Shapps – have too readily
interfered or exerted pressure on local authorities (Guardian p4, Telegraph p12).
Southamptonaction
deepens – And talking of local government as Unite calls
on the police to investigate anonymous leaflets that smeared
striking council workers the dispute escalated with workers
mobilising for a mass demonstration on Monday. Ian Woodland, Unite
regional officer, said that councillor Smith's handling of the
dispute was lamentable: "We are now in week three of
this city-wide action and yet Royston Smith and his team seem
either clueless as to how or are unconcerned about solving this
dispute.” (Morning Star p5,
LocalGov,
This is Hampshire, Unite
release) Don’t forget to donate to the
Unite strike fund for Southampton city council
workers.
Care less – And talking of
mass sackings Southern Cross announces it is to axe 3,000 staff as
it tries to deal with its debts, it will also defer paying its tax
bill, will the government step in? (Mirror p16, Sun p4, Express p4, Mail p1, Times p3, Indie p17, Guardian p1, Telegraph p2, FT p1, Morning Star p1).
Heat or eat – And a number of
papers continue the pressure on ordinary workers and rising prices
with nearly one in five Britons being forced into fuel poverty by
recent increases. The Indie (p5) also reports that
100,000 people now do second jobs just to make ends meet (Mirror p25, Express p18, Mail p1, Telegraph p4).
Oil going up - And the Opec
oil meeting yesterday broke up in acrimony as a number of countries
joined Iran in voting against Saudi Arabia’s proposals to increase
production to alleviate prices, oil prices rose by more than $2 to
a two month high as a result (Express p50, Mail p66, Times p36, Indie p32, Guardian p26, Telegraph b1, FT p1).
Aer Lingus up – Even with
higher fuel prices the Mail (p67) reports that the
airline saw a four per cent rise in passenger numbers in May, with
traffic increasing to 911,000 passengers
Boeing beats Airbus, just –
Still in the air and Boeing gains 182 orders in the first five
months of this year against Airbus’ 176. Expect a raft of new
orders at the Paris air show later this month (Express p50, FT p28).
Lloyds to float branches? –
And the Mail (p66) and
Indie (p31) report that
Lloyds is to release a brochure for its 600 branches later this
week, the bank is also considering floating the high street
branches as a new bank on the stock exchange if the price offered
by bidders is too low.
Summer sales come early – And
the Mail (p31) reports
that gloomy high street figures have seen retailers look to bring
forward the Summer sales.
Punch price pledge – Or you
could go to the pub to drown your sorrows, Britain’s biggest pub
landlord reported a 7.3 per cent rise in sales for the last quarter
and pledged to hold the price of a pint despite soaring costs, the
company was however dealt a blow by the exit of its finance
executive, Roddy Murray, who has resigned after two weeks in the
job (Mirror p58, Sun p45, Express p50, Mail p67, Times p43, FT p24).
Blair for president? – The
latest poll in the Indie (p7) shows Labour is on
40 per cent, the Tories on 36 per cent and the Lib Dems have dipped
back to 11 per cent. There’s a long interview with former prime
minister Tony Blair in today’s Times (p1/7) where he
pontificates on a wide range of issues. He says Europe needs a
leader (does he want the job?), Nick Clegg is a nice guy (I think
he’s in a minority there), Ed Miliband should avoid Blue Labour
(and instead choose Blair’s way) and that warmongers and despots
should be removed from the Middle East, does that mean he’ll resign
as the Middle East envoy?
Edited by Mik Sabiers
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