Unite Communications updates
These pages contain the latest updates from Unite's
Communications' Department covering the latest news, updates on
campaigns and links to stories in journals and the media in
general. Check back regularly for the latest updates froms Unite's
Communications' Department.
25 May 2012: It’s a very busy
end to the week. The digest opens with the latest details of the
double-dip, it’s getting worse as revised figures show that the
economy declined by 0.3 per cent in the first three months of this
year. The downward revision was due to a bigger contraction in
construction output than previously estimated not the slow down in
Europe as Cameron and Clegg had previously claimed. There are
concerns that the UK economy will shrink once again in the second
quarter of this year - Bank of the England governor Mervyn King
warned the Diamond Jubilee could reduce output – while shadow
chancellor Ed Balls described prime minister David Cameron and
chancellor George Osborne as "complacent and out of
touch" although there is no report on what Cameron’s
response was; from evidence earlier this week expect Cameron to
have turned the air Tory blue. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
24 May 2012: Today’s
digest opens with Unite police staff warning the West Midlands
police service – and the residents of Birmingham – about a possible
ruinous future for policing in the region. Robocop – the cyborg law
enforcer featured in the dystopian 1980s sci-fi film classic – has
been reminding the public of what could happen if the police
service falls into private hands at a
walkabout outside today’s public meeting of the
West Midlands Police Authority. The message is clear there’s no
place for profit in policing. Unite’s Peter Allenson said:
“Robocop should serve as a stark warning of how policing
for profit is destined to fail miserably” and the dangers
of police privatisation are exposed in the Unite film
Police Privatisation
999. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 May 2012: The digest opens
with more news on the economy. Ahead of the latest figures for UK
GDP tomorrow – which are still expected to confirm the UK remains
in a double-dip recession – the government was advised by the IMF
that it should consider cutting interest rates as a means of
boosting the now moribund UK economy. Yesterday’s sharp drop in the
CPI rate from 3.5 per cent to 3.0 per cent – driven mainly by
falling travel costs, discounts on vodka and beer, and lower prices
for womenswear – was not reflected in RPI which dropped from 3.6
per cent to 3.5 per cent as households continue to face rising rent
and mortgage costs. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
22 May 2012: Today’s digest
opens with yet another attack on workers’ rights as the draft
report into Tory backed plans to rip up a whole swathe of
employment rights is released. Plans put forward by City fatcat and
Tory party donor Adrian Beecroft include firing workers at will,
scrapping pensions, an end to flexible hours and redundancy rights
and an end to licensing for employing workers aged under 16. Unite
general secretary Len McCluskey said: "Beecroft's proposals
would be disastrous for the economy. They will not create a single
job. It is a charter for rogue bosses to make life even worse for
working people in austerity Britain. If the recommendations in this
report become law it will turn the clock back on decades of
progress. This is not a growth strategy it is the worst attack on
our employment rights in a generation.” There is strong
coverage in the Mirror while the Telegraph notes that parts of the
plans have already been watered down to make them more female
friendly, although I doubt you can find anything ‘friendly’ in the
proposals, the Guardian reports business secretary Cable has
attacked the plans but there is still a month to go to respond to
the call for evidence. Time to get writing on why raising
insecurity will only worsen the recession…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
18 May 2012: All of the papers
cover the good news for Ellesmere Port and there was even praise
from prime minister Cameron for the workers in delivering the deal.
The Mirror highlights the key elements of the deal with some £1.1
billion being invested, up to 4,000 new jobs and a total production
run of 220,000 motors a year. The Telegraph cites the negotiating
team – including Unite’s Tony Woodley – that helped to deliver the
investment, although the FT does mark a sombre note reporting that
Opel’s plant in Bochum, Germany could be in the firing line as GM
looks to reduce its overall capacity across Europe. Again, the
unions will be closely involved in supporting the workers and
arguing for the viability of all plants. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
Look to the
Germans: With the future of UK manufacturing
under pressure, a new approach is needed says Unite’s Tony Burke.
You’ve got to hand it to the Germans. They produce some great cars,
their beers are Wunderbar and even their football team’s… well, not
bad. Now they even have British union bosses lining up to sing the
praises of their manufacturers. Unite is part of a group of unions
recognised by BAE Systems, alongside GMB and Prospect, and Unite
assistant general secretary, Tony Burke was at MAI earlier this
year. Heads Up caught up with him to get his views on the future of
manufacturing, the issues it faces now and more on the German
lessons… (by Tony Burke, writing in BAe's own magazine
Heads Up)
17 May 2012: The digest
opens with the news that Unite members this morning voted by 94 per
cent to back the plans which will see manufacturing secured at
Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant until 2020. Unite general secretary
Len McCluskey said: “This is extremely good news for
Ellesmere Port … from a position of uncertainty earlier this year,
there is now a potential for a future at the plant until 2020 and
beyond, and with that 700 new skilled jobs at Ellesmere Port
itself, and possibly hundreds more in the supply chain.”
However Len also noted the implications for colleagues across the
GM group where workers wait to hear what may happen at other GM
plants in Europe with the fear that there may be job losses ahead
in Germany. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
16 May 2012: The eurozone
continues to hog the headlines. After new French president Francois
Hollande was sworn in at a rain soaked ceremony yesterday he then
took off to Berlin but was forced to turn back when his plane was
hit by lightning, although there’s no confirmation the thunder was
down to German chancellor Angela Merkel’s mood. As Greece fails to
form a government and moves towards another round of elections the
discussion on how it could leave the euro rises, the question will
then be whether it is just drachmas that return or will pesetas,
lira and escudos be back on the menu? Hollande’s commitment to a
growth pact will be key to changing the outlook for the eurozone
and the economy overall. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
14 May 2012: There’s no single
story dominating the headlines, but a number are bubbling along.
The ongoing eurozone crisis continues with Greece’s political
leaders failing to agree a government, Germany’s Angela Merkel
losing a key state election ahead of her meeting with Hollande who
will hotfoot it over to Berlin to discuss the future of the single
currency as soon as he is sworn in as president tomorrow. The FT
notes that the odds on a Greek exit are shortening while in the
Guardian Ed Balls and Peter Mandelson come together to argue the
eurozone needs to succeed. Typically the Telegraph reports that
Germany is preparing a billion euro bill for the UK if Greece is
ejected from the eurozone… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
4 May 2012: It’s all about the
elections as counts are continuing across the country, the main
round up is a bad night for the Tories and Lib Dems and a good, but
not great, night for Labour. Although the share of the vote for
Labour is expected to hit 39 per cent to the Tories 31 per cent,
with the Lib Dems on 16 per cent, Labour’s vote in London has been
hit by the Ken effect and the relentlessly negative campaign run by
Lynton Crosby and backed by swathes of the press. (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
3 May 2012: Today’s digest opens
with good coverage of yesterday’s demonstration by hundreds of
workers from the BAE factory in Brough who came down to London to
protest outside the company’s AGM. The workers were protesting over
the closure of the company’s Brough site which makes the iconic
Hawk aircraft – used by the Red Arrows – and the chanting was so
strong it could be heard inside the meeting – there are pieces in
the Sun, Express, Mail, Indie, Guardian, FT, Morning Star and
Telegraph. To add insult to injury the Telegraph also reports that
the company has also been taken to task after it emerged that BAE
had named the operation to close the East Yorkshire factory
‘Operation Bosworth’ which was the decisive defeat of the House of
York by the House of Lancaster, surely someone should be shouting
‘off with their heads’ to the board… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
Unite on JLR Midlands investment:
Unite's Tony Burke, commenting on the news that Jaguar Land
Rover is to invest £200 million in a factory for the new
F-Type at its Castle Bromwich site, said: "This is
welcome confirmation and will be a boost for the regional economy.
The UK car industry can't save British manufacturing on its own
though. The government's attitude of crossing its fingers and
hoping investment in manufacturing materialises simply isn't
sustainable. It needs to develop a coherent strategy for
manufacturing and growth."
2 May 2012: The local election
countdown is almost done with just one day left and many of the
papers have detailed features on the key battlegrounds. London
features prominently with Boris trying to de-Tory himself saying he
would not have backed the budget, which doesn’t match his backing
for the top rate tax cut, the Tories are on the back foot and
there’s a chance to change the course from cuts to growth. The
Mirror has a good pullout in concert with Unison which highlights
the cuts at councils across the country, every vote counts.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
30 April 2012: The
countdown to Thursday’s election is ticking and it’s going down to
the wire. London is taking a lot of headlines and there’s a good
piece by
Tony Benn on LabourList on why the vote is so
critical. The daily Mirror has a poll which shows Labour ahead by
six per cent for the locals and seven per cent in general. Trevor
Kavanagh attacks the coalition nightmare in the Sun while the Indie
has a survey on which way people will vote according to their
specific views. The rundown ends with Ken Livingstone arguing in
the FT that the mood is swinging in his favour as people see the
benefit of lower fares, the reintroduction of EMA and safer
neighbourhood sergeants, lower energy bills and more housebuilding.
Every vote will count… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
27 April 2012: The digest
opens with the latest on the tanker drivers' dispute which gets
plenty of coverage across the papers. Yesterday’s meeting of
Unite's oil trade's conference recommended that the tanker drivers
reject proposals tabled following eight days of talks at Acas
because of the failure to give sufficient guarantees on maintaining
standards, security of employment, pensions and sub-contracting.
Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland said: “The
proposals represent progress on some of the key areas such as
health and safety. But it is clear that they do not give enough
guarantees that the instability and insecurity gripping the
industry will come to an end."
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
Latest updates from the Austrian
press - Mayr-Melnhof wrestling with trade unions: On
Wednesday some uninvited guests attended the general meeting of the
packaging manufacturer, Mayr-Melnhof, in Vienna. Trade union
members from Vienna and beyond protested in front of the Grand
Hotel on the Kärntner Ring – where the general meeting was being
held - against allegedly harsh methods employed by the group when
it closed the plant in Liverpool, England.
26 April 2012: Today's
digest opens with the majority of papers focused on the bad
economic news after data released yesterday showed that the UK
economy has returned to recession with a 0.2 per cent contraction
in GDP for the first quarter of 2012, against the original forecast
of 0.1 per cent growth. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said:
"Britain's return to recession and the government's
disastrous budget is proof that George Osborne is not up to the
job. The government's economic credibility is now in tatters
because we have a chancellor who is anti-growth and fixated
on austerity ... Britain needs an economic heavyweight fighting for
Britain in these bleak times not a dilettante playing at being
chancellor." (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
24 April 2012: The top
story today is the collapse of the Conservative fightback after the
omnishambles of a budget. The Guardian has the latest poll which
sees a six per cent slump in the Conservative party’s fortunes with
Labour now leading by eight points with 41 per cent to 33 per cent,
while the Lib Dems are unchanged on 15 per cent. In signs that the
pressure is rising Cameron admits he has made mistakes, but it was
Tory MP Nadine Dorries who set the theme of the day by branding
Cameron “an arrogant, out of touch posh boy.” Fellow Tory Peter
Bone weighed in saying the government was out of touch with middle
England and many Tory backbenchers were angry over yet another loan
to the IMF. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 April 2012: The digest
opens with mixed news from France. The good news is that socialist
candidate Hollande won the first round with 28.5 per cent to
Sarkozy’s 27.1 per cent, however almost one in five voters backed
far right candidate Marine Le Pen who came third followed by Left
Front’s Jean-Luc Mélonchon who scored a lower than expected 11.1
per cent. Sarkozy is looking shaky as he becomes the first serving
French president that has failed to win the first round but the
real question will be how the votes from the other challengers are
distributed in the run-off which takes place a week on Sunday, the
event to watch out for will be the live television debate in the
final week, expect Sarkozy to come out all guns blazing to
Hollande’s subtle approach. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
Wirtschaftsblatt article: Unions to protest
in Vienna - Wave of protest building up against Austrian
packaging manufacturer Mayr-Melnhof. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
5 April 2012: With the Easter
bank holiday break looming there’s no let up in stories as the
government is still being pounded from multiple directions. While
the tanker driver talks continue at Acas a few of the papers
highlight some of the profiteering – petrol prices are at record
highs – due to the government fuelled panic, elsewhere Cameron
tries to shore up his plans for secret courts and the snoopers
charter, as he tries to put the last couple of weeks of disaster
behind him. However many of the papers report on the new tax year
which will see middle Britain start to bear the brunt of the
austerity measures with families set to lose £500 a year for
starters. The polls don’t look good for Cameron who the Sun reports
has seen his personal rating slump by eight per cent in the past
two weeks, while the Tories have dipped to 32 per cent against
Labour’s 42 per cent. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
4 April 2012: The tanker
drivers’ dispute continues to remain in the headlines as the talks
begin at Acas today, the main focus in the papers remains on the
rise in petrol prices although there are still some reports of
concerns over supplies with the government yet to show any
contrition. And talking of travel a few of the papers also note
that there may be trouble ahead with more long queues, this time
the Telegraph talks of gridlock at airports as there are not enough
staff to carry out security checks on passengers.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
2 April 2012: The tanker
drivers’ dispute continues to remain high on the agenda. Over the
weekend Conservative commentator Charles Moore revealed that the
Tories were telling their constituency associations that this is
their “Thatcher moment” as they look to try and
lay the blame at Labour. Unite hit back warning the government
about playing politics with an industrial dispute, and the real
impact of the petrol panic may have bigger consequences as a ComRes
poll says 81 per cent of the public think the government caused the
panic; and Cameron’s in the frame over being reckless after saying:
“A bit of petrol panic may be no bad thing.”
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
29 March 2012:
The fuel tanker dispute continues to dominate the headlines –
it's on seven front pages today - with prime minister David Cameron
convening a meeting of Cobra to discuss the issue, but as reported
in yesterday’s digest cabinet office minister Francis Maude was let
of his leash and promptly put his foot in it after saying people
should stock up on fuel and store jerry cans of petrol at home;
sales of jerry cans rocketed by over 4,000 per cent as a result.
However the FBU were soon on the case to highlight that this is not
only dangerous, but also illegal; looks like the government is
being very irresponsible in its advice to the general public.
Cameron was also caught out about when he last ate a Cornish pasty
in Leeds, the two shops at Leeds station are both closed, one over
five years back and the other last because of Osborne’s pasty tax.
Cash for access Cameron’s Con-Dem coalition is not having a good
week. (posted by Mik Sabiers)
28 March 2012:
The tanker drivers’ dispute continues to hog the
headlines with the government causing panic by pouring fuel on the
fire and telling people that they should stock up; cabinet office
minister Francis Maude this morning said people should stock up on
jerry cans even though he said no action has been called and seven
day’s notice is required while prime minister David Cameron says he
will hold a special Cobra meeting on the dispute later today and
urged both sides to get round the table. Acas has also offered to
get both sides around the table and Unite tanker drivers are
continuing to meet as they discuss the next steps in the
dispute. (posted by Mik Sabiers)
BBC HARDTalk: Britain has already seen the first
skirmishes in what could be a protracted battle between the Cameron
government and organised labour. In the short term, schools and
fuel supplies could be hit by strikes; looking further ahead,
there's talk of union protests targeting the London Olympics.
Stephen Sackur speaks to Len McCluskey, leader of Unite, Britain's
biggest union. He talks of defending workers' rights within the
law, and outside it, if necessary. How far is he prepared to go?
(BBC iPlayer - available until 3:59AM 27 March
2013)
27 March
2012: The top story today – and a clean
sweep featuring in all the papers and on three front pages- is that
the Unite tanker drivers delivering fuel to petrol pumps across the
UK have voted overwhelmingly for strike action in a dispute over
safety and growing instability in the fuel industry. Members
working for five major fuel distribution firms delivering fuel for
household names including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, BP, Shell and Esso
backed a call for strike action by an average of 69 per cent.
Turnouts across the five companies averaged 77.7 per cent. Unite’s
national industrial sector committee will meet over the next few
days to consider the next steps. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
All striking tanker drivers want is responsible minimum
standards: Len McCluskey writes for the Guardian's
Comment is Free on the tanker drivers dispute: A 'turn and burn'
culture is forcing drivers to deliver faster for less, raising
fears about public safety. That's why they're striking.
26 March 2012: The top
story on the political front is Cameron and the Cruddas
cash-for-access scandal. Tory treasurer Peter Cruddas was filmed
making claims about the cost of getting paid for access to the
prime minister and chancellor and their advisers. The Tory funding
scandal has opened up questions about which donors met Cameron and
attended briefings by the policy unit? Access was available for
donations of £250,000 a year and so far Dave’s ‘dodgy’ donors have
yet to be revealed. Even Stephen Glover in the Mail asks why
Cameron is such a terrible judge of character? The row opens up the
debate regarding party funding with some of the right wing papers
highlighting union funding and even David Miliband entering the row
with a dig arguing funding should be an individual
choice. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 March 2012:
The backlash over the budget continues in many of the papers
today with Osborne’s ‘granny tax’ filling lots of column inches,
but there’s also coverage of millions more paying the 40p rate and
a good quote from shadow chancellor Ed Balls on the lack of a
growth strategy and robbing the poor to pay the rich: “The
chancellor is not Robin Hood and as for jobs he couldn’t give a
Friar Tuck.” Osborne does get some backing (from the IFS)
for his approach with some papers noting that so far pensioners
have not been hit as hard by the cuts, but he is warned by many of
the dangers of annoying a vocal group that goes out and votes. And
it’s not just pensioners, the Sun’s front page says: Voters savage
George and the paper also highlights the response from companies,
the headline: Business fury at budget. The real question is whether
the row will rumble on and impact the local and mayoral elections.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
Say no to tax avoidance for public
service providers: Simon Birch, who writes for Ethical
Consumer magazine, calls for big companies to stop dodging their
tax responsibilities. (posted by Simon
Birch)
22 March 2012: Today’s
digest remains focused on the budget which dominates all the
papers. Osborne won’t be too happy with the front pages as many
attack his new ‘granny tax’ saying he has mugged ordinary people
and pensioners, he did however get away with announcing the cut to
the top rate of tax, and Labour leader Ed Miliband issued a stern
challenge attacking an out of touch chancellor and his cabinet
cronies who all stand to benefit from the top rate tax cut.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
20 March 2012: The digest opens
with the news that Lord Owen’s amendment fell in the Lords last
night meaning the health and social care bill will now be debated
and most likely passed by MPs today; it is the last chance to kill
the bill and Unite is urging people to
tweet Lib Dem MPs to show some
backbone and demand the release of the risk register. Sadly it
looks like the government will ignore the views of the vast
majority, but in simple terms you ignore medical advice at your
peril; expect the changes to prove toxic come the next election.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
19 March 2012:
The daily digest opens with the last few days before the
health and social care bill becomes law. There’s a good spread in
the Daily Mirror on lords that stand to benefit from the effective
privatisation of the national health service and Unite is also
calling on members to lobby Lib Dems to back the Owen amendment and
not pass the bill before the risk register is released. You can
tweet or email a Lib Dem from the Unite
#SaveourNHS webpage. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
16 March 2012:
The daily digest opens with the NHS once again high on
the agenda. A few of the papers report on the start of
privatisation with NHS Devon looking to put children’s’ services
out to tender, while one in four NHS hospitals have raised parking
fees. The Guardian also asked 100 health workers for their views on
the health bill with many of them confused about its wide reaching
nature and what it will really mean for the National Health
Service. The bill goes back to parliament early next week meaning
there are just days to #SaveourNHS with the main thrust a focus on
Lord Owen’s amendment calling for the bill to be put on hold unless
the risk register is published. Cross those fingers and put
pressure on the Lib Dems to do the right thing…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
15 March 2012:
The digest opens with the latest unemployment figures. The
government tries to argue that the slowing of the increase is a
good thing, but there are now 2.67 million unemployed, 1.3 million
of which are women. The rise of part time jobs is one of the
reasons for the slowing in the rise of unemployed, but Unite says
action is needed in next week’s budget. General secretary Len
McCluskey said: “What these appalling unemployment figures show is
that next week’s budget needs to be about jobs and growth.”
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
14 March 2012:
Today’s digest starts with the latest on the NHS after
both the Commons and Lords – even with some Lib Dem rebels - backed
the health and social care bill yesterday. The clock is ticking for
the NHS although Lansley seems to be in a world of his own saying
the fury about the changes is ‘fake’. There’s also real fury about
the second year of a pay freeze for all NHS staff. The bill returns
to the Lords tomorrow although there is still no publication of the
risk register, and talking of risks private healthcare company Bupa
has voiced concerns about UK care homes with funding fears on the
horizon. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
13 March 2012:
It’s all a bit mixed in the digest today. On the
political front Cameron is off to America to visit Obama as the
exit from Afghanistan remains in the headlines, while back in
London both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will debate
the NHS bill. A few of the papers report that doctors’ leaders have
issued an appeal for a truce over the bill with the Royal College
of GPs at the fore. However a better assessment of the bill and why
the Lib Dems should avoid backing it is presented by Polly Toynbee
in the Guardian. Unfortunately Labour’s Ed Miliband does himself no
favours with many of the papers reporting that his staff said he
was ‘too sick’ to address a NHS rally last Saturday, but he was
then later spotted at the football, must do better…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
9 March
2012: It’s sombre start on many of the front
pages as there is further coverage of the six soldiers that died in
Afghanistan on Wednesday and the murder yesterday of a British
hostage in Kenya after a botched SBS rescue operation. On
Afghanistan the Sun has a YouGov poll that says 60 per cent of
people think the mission to bring security and stability in
Afghanistan can not succeed and Cameron is now under pressure to
either stay and stabilise the region – counter to his aim to exit
by 2014 - or stick it for the long haul which could mean many more
deaths on top of the 404 soldiers that have died so far. Time to
bring them home… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
8 March 2012:
Time is running out to
#SavetheNHS. Thousands rallied to condemn the
Con-Dem government’s plans with a strong address from Unite general
secretary Len McCluskey: “There are just days to stop the NHS from
falling into the hands of the private healthcare companies – the
massive global businesses who make billions from the sick and
needy. Despite overwhelming opposition from professionals, patients
and the public, the government is steamrollering the bill through
parliament … Unite members from up and down the country have come
here to demand that the bill is withdrawn… and we are not going to
go away quietly.” The campaign continues as the clock ticks down
and when even the prime minister’s
most senior civil servant says drop the bill it
looks like Cameron and Clegg have just days to stop them going down
in history as the politicians that destroyed the world-revered NHS.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
7 March 2012:
The top story today is the mass action to
#SavetheNHS as Unite members from across the
country descend on the Houses of Parliament to call on the
government to kill the NHS bill. The action kicks off from 1pm with
an update of the day’s events on the Unite twitterfeed. Writing in
the Morning Star Unite general secretary Len McCluskey warns:
“Fight
now to save the NHS - or you will lose it forever in the
cauldron of US-style ‘pay-as-you-go health care.” The Mirror has a
great two page spread covering Unite’s Ron Singer haranguing health
secretary Andrew Lansley – but there are just 13 days left to
#SaveourNHS… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 March 2012:
There’s no single story dominating the headlines today.
There’s some good news in the car industry as Nissan announces it
will build a new hatchback at its Sunderland plant, adding 400 jobs
to the site and another 1,600 possibly in the supply chain. Toyota
is also bullish about European sales, Rolls-Royce is about to
unveil a new car as is Bentley, but there could be some darker
clouds on the horizon as the race to rescue Ellesmere Port
continues and Jaguar is considering manufacturing in China within
the next two years, could that be the start of a shift in
production to the far east? (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
5 March
2012: There are a series of stories vying for the
front pages today. On the international front many of the papers
report that yesterday Vladimir Putin was ‘re-elected’ president of
Russia while a few also focus on tomorrow’s Super Tuesday primaries
in the US race for the Republican nomination for president with
Romney and Santorum running neck and neck, could that be the actual
Republic ticket come November? Back in the UK and prime
minister David Cameron is under pressure on multiple fronts.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
A crucial week for the NHS –
How you can help #SaveourNHS: It’s time to lobby the
lords and pressurise peers on the health and social care
bill.
2 March 2012:
The debate over Len McCluskey’s Olympic comments
continues with the Telegraph quoting an Eton educated athlete
saying he gets no sick pay and strikes would hold back Britain,
sadly the Telegraph can’t even spell Len’s surname correctly. The
Express joins in and publishes a letter about taking away rights
for reps in response while the Guardian also has a range of views
including from Unite’s executive council who warn of the
government’s lack of a mandate. Writing in the Independent Owen
Jones speaks up for trade unions and reminds the political
establishment on the legitimate role unions play, and the danger of
ignoring the anger across the country. Talking of anger and Lansley
has now accused nurses of opposing his NHS changes out of ’spite’
rather than because they mark the end of NHS as we know it, five
days until the
#SaveourNHS lobby. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
1 March 2012:
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey’s wide ranging
interview with the Guardian late on Tuesday is picked up in most
papers for the second day in a row, with the majority of the right
wing press focusing on disruption to the Olympics rather than
reading the details of civil disobedience and the right to protest.
The Telegraph takes the biscuit publishing a letter asking if Len
can be tried for treason, while the Sun, Express and Mail argue
that Labour’s Ed Miliband should break the party’s link with Unite.
Other comments raise the spectre of restricting union rights but
they’ve neglected to read the details of Len’s interview; they’ve
been warned… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
27 February
2012: It’s a mixed start to the week with multiple
stories vying for the front pages. Health remains high on the
agenda, after doctors voted to take industrial action over changes
to their pensions the main news is a renewed push to get the
government to drop the health and social care bill. Labour leader
Ed Miliband argues in the Times that the NHS does need to change,
but not in the way the bill proposes, as Lib Dems propose even more
amendments in the Lords ex-NHS chief Lord Crisp added to the call
to kill the bill saying the changes are: “confused and confusing
and will unfortunately will set the NHS back.” His comments come as
the Royal College of Physicians has also come out against the bill,
as more and more attack the proposed changes it really is time for
the government to listen: So lobby your MP and join the Save our
NHS mass action on 7 March, have you pledged to join the
rally? (posted by Mik Sabiers)
24 February
2012: Today’s digest opens with yet more on
the NHS. The Mail has a strong piece comparing the NHS against the
best of US care - the NHS wins - and the chief executive of the
Care Quality Commission quits, paediatricians become the latest
group to say ‘no’ to the Lansley health bill and the Mirror reports
that prime minister David Cameron reportedly declared: “We’re
f*****!” when he first saw the NHS proposals. The Guardian reports
that Lib Dem peers are trying to table more amendments with a focus
on trying to remove the threat of opening up the NHS to EU
competition rules. Judging by past evidence don’t expect the
government to cave in. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 February
2012: The NHS remains high in the headlines with
yesterday’s debate in the House of Commons on the risk register
featured across most papers. Health secretary Andrew Lansley came
in for strong criticism with one of the favoured quotes from former
Labour health secretary Alan Johnson who said: "No one has coveted
the position of health secretary for so long and then failed so
quickly." How true. Sadly the government won the vote as only four
Lib Dem MPs rebelled, but the march of the bill goes forward so
it’s time to keep up the pressure on what Labour leader Ed Miliband
rightly called: “Cameron’s poll tax”. It’s less than two weeks to
Unite’s
Save our NHS mass action on 7 March, have you
pledged to join the rally? (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
22 February
2012: The NHS continues to dominate the headlines
after Lansley faced questions in the Commons yesterday. While the
Sun says Lansley has Cameron’s backing it emerges that a doctor
that spoke out against the reforms faces a disciplinary hearing and
a number of papers report on ‘bullying’ of NHS staff over the
reforms. So far the government seems intent on ploughing forward
with the bill but the mobilisation for the
Save our NHS mass action on 7 March continues...
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
21 February
2012: The NHS tops the daily news again,
with all papers reporting on the run in Lansley had with an elderly
protester over the reforms and the Downing Street summit with an
outline of who is for (not many) and who is against (a lot) the
changes. The Indie also reports on a private health company which
plans to deregister elderly patients. Perhaps most troubling for
the Tories is that the Labour party has now regained a poll lead as
voters increasingly reject the health reforms. The issue is
becoming ever more toxic for the Tories, but the government does
not seem to have an out yet, with just 15 days to go to the
Save our NHS 7 March rally the issue will keep
hitting the headlines and Tory support...
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
20 February
2012: The NHS is top of today’s digest,
while doctors are locked out of Cameron’s NHS meeting, there’s
front page coverage of the Unite/YouGov poll in the Guardian which
shows that Cameron is facing a collapse in trust over his NHS
reforms. Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “David Cameron
is haemorrhaging trust over the health bill with public disquiet
growing each day the government fights to keep the risk register
secret. People have a right to know what damage these so called
reforms will do to their NHS. The government’s secrecy begs the
question of who comes first; the people who pay for and use the
NHS, or corporate consultants like McKinsey who drafted the bill
and stand to make money from Cameron’s privatisation plan?” The
poll shows that six times as many people trust health professionals
than David Cameron and Andrew Lansley (60 per cent – 10 per cent)
over the NHS reforms and 68 per cent want the government to publish
its own risk register on the reforms and when even the Telegraph’s
health pages state: “A knife is driven deeper into the NHS” you
know it is time to kill the bill; and the mobilisation for mass
action on 7 March continues… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
17 February
2012: There’s no single story dominating the
headlines today. On the industrial front a good set of results from
GM is masked by a loss in Europe and fears over further
restructuring of the European business. A few of the papers also
report that German cars are the most economical to drive while the
Mail reports that carmakers are driving growth in terms of
production, the Telegraph says that demand in Europe has slumped
although Renault reported a nine per cent rise in revenues to £35.3
billion. There is also good news for Bentley workers who got a £550
bonus for helping the carmaker return to profit... (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
16 February
2012: The top story across the papers remains
the poor unemployment figures which hit 8.4 per cent, the eighth
rise in a row. Looking behind the figures, one in three jobseekers
has now been without a job for over a year, youth unemployment has
now advanced to 22 per cent and there are now 1.12 million women
seeking work, up 91,000 on last year and the highest for 25 years.
Cameron and Osborne were notable in their absence yesterday leaving
it to Bank of England governor Mervyn King to give an update on the
state of the economy, sounding a note of optimism King said the
economy was moving in the ‘right’ direction, I’d say that was a
more a comment on ideological Conservative cuts rather than any
real recovery, especially as the Sun reports that 70 per cent of UK
families are on a the ‘financial’ brink. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
15 February
2012: Today’s digest opens with gloomy economic data,
after waking up yesterday to the threat of a downgrade in the UK’s
credit rating, chancellor George Osborne claimed the potential loss
of the country’s AAA rating means the government 'can't waver' in
tackling debts, but added to the sharper than expected drop in
inflation yesterday it could herald the move towards the feared
double-dip especially as this morning’s unemployment figures proved
more grim reading for the government. Unite general secretary Len
McCluskey said: "How bad do things have to get before this
government wakes up to the human tragedy it is creating? Rather
than a head long dash to austerity the government needs a ‘plan B’
for jobs and growth.” (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9 February
2012: The digest opens with the latest moves on
the NHS, as the mobilisation to save our NHS continues, prime
minister David Cameron struggled against Ed Miliband at PMQs, while
the Lords inflicted the government’s first defeat on the bill.
Backbench Tories are getting concerned about the toxicity of the
bill so the mobilisation for the lobby on 7 March gains importance;
the Morning Star’s headline sums it up: Does anyone like Lansley's
health bill? (posted by Mik Sabiers)
8 February
2012: Top of today’s digest is the latest on
the health and social care bill as the Lords hears the report stage
of the bill. Many of the papers lead with Cameron putting his full
backing behind the bill with the prime minister expected to force
it on to the statute book. However that may not square with the
Mirror which reports on an as yet unnamed Downing Street adviser
who called health secretary Andrew Lansley a ‘disaster’, no
argument there. As the mobilisation for the NHS lobby and rally on
7 March continues those opposed to the bill are mourning with the
116-year-old Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’
Association today coming out in opposition. Will the government
listen? Cameron seems hell-bent on railroading through the
effective privatisation of the NHS, but the Sun has a poll which
puts Labour five points ahead; time for another of Cameron’s famous
U-turns... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 February
2012: It’s a cold start to the week with much of
the country blanketed in snow which brings mixed reports with
children sleighing on the front of the Indie but travel chaos for
many others. Quite a few of the papers report on the cancellation
of a third of flights from Heathrow airport yesterday; that sees a
push for reopening the proposals for a third runway by Peter McKay
in the Mail. (posted by Mik Sabiers)
3 February
2012: Today’s digest opens with the ballot
result at Balfour Beatty Engineering Services where workers have
voted to take action over cuts to pay and a deskilling of the
sector for a second time, although Unite has given an undertaking
to the court that it will not call for industrial action until
after the outcome of next Tuesday’s court hearing. Another dispute
over cuts to pay and terms, this time with Jet tanker drivers
resumed at 5am this morning having been suspended for 24 hours for
talks and it was also bad news on jobs for workers at AstraZeneca,
with over 7,300 on the line as the pharmaceutical giant tries to
generate savings of $1.6 billion. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
2 February
2012: Today’s digest opens with the Con-Dem
coalition forcing through changes that will see cancer patients
have their benefits cut and the use of an archaic law to force
through change override the views of peers, and the general public.
Tory MPs even jeered Labour counterparts arguing cancer sufferers
should be exempted from the changes which critics say could see up
to 20,000 families overall lose their homes and be forced to move
to cheaper locations. Still with peers and the Telegraph reports
that Lansley is to concede some changes to the health bill in a bid
to win over wavering lords, but at the same time the move towards
the privatisation of the NHS continues as a few of the papers
report on the first day of Circle’s control of the Hinchingbrooke
NHS hospital, will patients win out over profits?
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
30 January
2012: As the Morning Star reports a poll
from the High Pay Centre which shows that the public rejects
bosses’ huge salaries, today’s digest starts with the what took him
so long question? Most of the papers report Stephen Hester, the
chief executive of state backed RBS, has finally bowed to pressure
and said that he will no longer accept his fat cat £1 million
bonus; that still leaves him with millions already
banked... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
27 January
2012: Today’s digest opens with Unite
calling on the government to intervene to help keep the Coryton
refinery open and safeguard the 1,000 jobs at stake as well as
fuels supplies to the south east of England. Talking of fuel there
is the continuation of strike action by the jet tanker drivers who
have announced another seven days of follow up action, while the
first wave of the Unilever strike is nearing a close with reps
boosted by the news that the Unite Welsh regional committee has
donated £5,000 to the strike fund. Unilever workers yesterday left
for the world economic forum at Davos, the gathering of the
so-called ‘great and the good’ is being co-chaired by Unilever
chief executive Paul Polman; Updates from the workers can be read
on the Unite
twitter feed. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
24 January
2012: Today’s Unite news digest opens with
strike action as Jet tanker drivers are out on the picket line at
the start of 168 hours of continuous strike action over changes to
pay and terms and conditions; and fuel supplies could also be hit
by the closure of the Coryton refinery which is on the brink of
insolvency. And while Unilever’s workers are also still out on the
picket line defending their pensions a number of the papers report
on the deals the company has made to secure its chocolate supplies
as well as the launch of new range of Lynx, little mention of the
workers that make and deliver the goods.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
23 January
2012: As the Chinese year of the dragon dawns, welfare
and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, and health secretary,
Andrew Lansley, battle it our to see who can lay the most waste.
The fight over a cap on benefits reaches the Lords as bishops and
Lord Ashdown mobilise against Iain Duncan Smith’s changes which
would see the total amount of benefits in one year capped at
£26,000, no matter what the circumstances or size of family or
overall need. It’s a double up in parliament as the Lords debate
rages this afternoon Duncan Smith will be taking questions in the
Commons. Elsewhere the chorus against the changes to the NHS builds
as the influential health select committee blasts the government’s
costly reorganisation as the service is looking to find £20 billion
of cuts, time to kill the bill... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
20 January
2012: It’s a mixed bag of stories today,
there’s good news for UK manufacturing for once as the car sector
reports a rise in production, although the advance is driven by
export demand as UK sales remain subdued as the UK economy moves
back towards recession. Prime minister Cameron is taken to task for
outlining his so-called conversion to moral capitalism, but then
fails to deal with the issue of bank bonuses for state owned banks,
instead he tries to deflect the blame on Labour by raising the
spectre of stripping Fred the Shred of his knighthood. That will
really make society all the more equal, talking of which the FT
reports that Balls is trying to soften his stance on pay restraint,
but Solomon Hughes in the Morning Star highlights Balls’ poor track
record for smart decisions, it’s a long list...
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
19 January
2012: Workers taking action to protect their
pensions opens the digest with yesterday’s first day of action by
Unilever workers gaining good coverage and solidarity messages of
support from across the country. Doctors are also threatening
action over pensions and on the anniversary of the health and
social care bill being introduced the call to scrap the bill from
health experts and workers rises. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
18 January
2012: The key story across all the papers on the
political front remains the challenge to Labour’s acceptance of the
government’s austerity programme and in particular the hit the
freeze on public sector pay. Ed Miliband fights back, but really he
should be listening and although a number of Blairites come out to
argue the case against, on the ground it is the message from Unite
general secretary Len McCluskey that resonates. (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
17 January
2012: Today’s top story sees bad news for Ed
Miliband as Unite’s general secretary Len McCluskey takes the
Labour party to task for backing the Con-Dem coalition’s pay freeze
for public sector workers. Many of the other papers advice the
opposition leader what to do, but it would be best if he listened
to the millions of ordinary people that form the party’s core
supporters. Miliband should stop following the government line and
instead lead the opposition, the clue’s in his job title. At least
Miliband can console himself with the fact that it knocked the
story about the resignation of his twitter tsar out of the
headlines. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
16 January
2012: Most of the papers cover the search for
survivors on the stricken cruise ship the Costa Concordia, although
as usual the education secretary puts his foot in it as the
Guardian leads with news that Michael Gove has called for the Queen
to be given a taxpayer funded yacht as a gift for the jubilee.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
16 December
2011: Many of the papers focus on the latest
shift in the Bombardier/Thameslink deal after the transport select
committee called for the deal to be examined by the National Audit
Office, Unite’s Len McCluskey said: "It is an outrage that the
British government loaded the dice against British jobs. It is now
time to lift the lid on the murky dealings which stopped this
country's last train maker from building trains for our railways
... it will be a national scandal if the transport secretary
refuses to put the Thameslink contract on hold to allow a full
inquiry.” It’s down to Justine Greening to do the decent thing…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
7 December
2011: The top stories vary across the papers
although the eurozone crisis continues to take the main headlines
as Cameron decides to reveal his hand in the negotiations saying he
will insist on some ‘safeguards’ to protect UK interests but the
backbench rebellion is building with lots of questions at today’s
PMQs... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 December 2011:
The main news in most of the papers is the gradual moves towards a
eurozone rescue as Merkel and Sarkozy agree to ever closer fiscal
union. That opens up a can of worms for Cameron who is now being
attacked by the Tory right over his unwillingness to hold a
referendum on potential treaty changes. Cameron is also under fire
in the Indie after lobbyists boasted how they can help influence
the prime minister, for a hefty fee (to the lobbyist not the
PM). Many of the papers also report on...
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
2 December 2011: In
today’s experimental digest the main news of the day is the apology
from Clarkson over the execution story which has sadly wiped out
coverage of the real message behind the strikes. The other main
issue is the fears for the collapse of the eurozone and a warning
from Bank of England governor Mervyn King which could herald major
pressures for all of us ahead, although the investment bankers will
probably be OK... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
1 December 2011:
As millions of striking workers took to the streets prime
minister David Cameron proved he governs for the elite by
dismissing the action as a damp squib and ignoring the two million
strikers and the millions more that backed the action. Elsewhere
the countdown to either the end or the rescue of the euro has
begun, Iberia’s pilots threaten action, there’s a plea to save a
BAE plant and while green jobs are under threat there could be a
future in beans and more women on the board but it may be bye bye
Battersea Power Station… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
30 November 2011:
It’s all out as the biggest day of action since the 1926
general strike and public sector workers have even more reason to
challenge the government after chancellor George Osborne raised the
threat of breaking national pay scales for public servants.
Millions are mobilising to challenge the changes as the country
comes out in support. Elsewhere construction workers are to take
action while in aviation American Airlines files for bankruptcy
protection and in finance more jobs go at RBS, while there’s a
sticky mess on the M1… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
29 November 2011:
The digest opens with the latest ahead of the
comprehensive spending review as well as on tomorrow’s strike
action. The high street is looking shaky but Thomas Cook sees a
(slight) recovery, there’s a row over a coat of arms for the
speaker, has Branson got an even better deal on Northern Rock and
while there’s bad news for the government in the latest opinion
poll, Labour still has more to do… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
28 November 2011: The
digest opens with more on the day of action followed by a trail for
tomorrow’s comprehensive spending review. Safety legislation is
culled as part of the growth plans and there’s a backlog of benefit
appeals, PFI has proved costly and government cuts targets are
being missed, as the Leveson inquiry calls Guido Fawkes prisons may
soon be silent and while the euro remains on the critical list the
Lib Dems look for some solace… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
18 November 2011:
The digest opens with a resounding yes to action over
public sector pensions. The other main story of the day is the
government offloading Northern Rock where Branson has got himself a
good deal. Cameron is slammed by the CBI and escapes to Berlin as
the MoD is taken to task over value for money or lack of.
Bombardier’s boss calls on the government to act while police force
out the Occupy protesters and there’s a surprise rise in retail
sales, but is it all down to the Poles? (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
16 November 2011:
From anger over public pensions to clearing the streets
of protesters the digest opens with action on both sides of the
Atlantic and over in the eurozone the contagion continues to
spread. A snip of good news sees inflation dip, but unemployment
advances again, May remains under pressure as does the government
over fuel duty. Letwin broke the law, News International says sorry
while the MoD has flogged its Harriers, easyJet will allow
passengers to book seats, but is there a curse of Cameron as he
puts another diplomatic foot in it… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
15 November 2011:
The top story remains Europe as even with the technocrats
in charge the markets seem to rule the roost, Cameron says red tape
is to blame, while May says it was nothing to do with her while
evidence emerges of the Sun’s involvement in hackgate. As Miliband
goes on a ‘prawn sandwich’ offensive transport minister Theresa
Villiers dashes Bombardier workers’ hopes, project Merlin does not
meet its targets again while electricians campaign to protect pay,
the FDA and Prospect heavily back action on pensions and Cameron
lashes out at Downing Street meaning there could be a feline
addition to the dole queue… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
14 November 2011: The
digest opens with another technocrat replacing an elected
politician as Europe reviews democracy as it deals with the debt
crisis. Osborne tries to stir up problems for France as he looks to
boost the UK economy with a £50 billion injection while growth is
downgraded and the CBI says get rid of new agency workers’ rights.
As more firms fail to pay back loans, and care homes go bust,
Lansley says there will be no rationing in the NHS as figures show
£3 billion is lost to fraud. A disgraced baroness returns to the
Lords while there’s a mystery over an aide, and one Tory MP sums up
the feelings of increasingly more of the UK population with a few
choice words for prime minister David Cameron who’ll perhaps need
to turn the other cheek… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
11 November 2011: The
eurozone continues to teeter although the markets are calmer even
as growth is downgraded, a NHS hospital is handed over to the
private sector while nurses could consider strike action over
pensions. The home secretary is still in the headlines and Murdoch
gets likened to a Mafia boss. There’s a conflict of interest at
Bombardier, but the EC says the deal could be reopened, JLR hires
1,000 more workers, while 3i is to get rid off 45 jobs as Cameron
tells firms to hold ‘protected conversations’ with troublesome
staff while Network Rail wants signal workers to learn (some)
German… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
10 November 2011: The
digest opens with more on Europe before its back to strikes and
demonstrations in London and the home secretary is still at risk.
There’s good news on union rights on both sides of the pond but
while GM does well in the US, it European operations may be hit and
Ford in Europe could face its first strike since the 1970s, FlyBe
scales back, HSBC could head off and a private firm takes control
of a NHS hospital while the pressure on James Murdoch is
mounting… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9 November 2011: The
digest opens with a pledge from Berlusconi to resign while May says
she won’t. Bullying MPs are taken to task while lobbyists line the
Lords, as long term unemployed are told to work for nothing the
number of jobs drops but the sack at will proposal could be vetoed.
As Aegon axes its pension scheme, Lloyds faces losses and a
leadership crisis, the Robin Hood tax falters, the CBI calls for
action on the economy as students are on the march even as the high
street is quiet… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
8 November 2011:
Europe continues to hog the headlines while the home
secretary is under pressure over open borders. MPs want to wrestle
back control from the Bank Of England while Danny misleads on
pensions’ reform. Youth unemployment looks to be rising ever
higher, but fees may come down, while the police are prepared to
fire on protesters. The high street is suffering, Coutts is to be
fined while Lloyds may be forced to appoint a new head. Ryanair
zooms ahead, Boeing’s Dreamliner has some difficulty engaging and
HS2 is backed, but there could be some trouble for Jack Dromey and
Osborne is reportedly objecting to cuts to workers’
rights… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
7 November 2011:
Today’s digest opens with a financial edge as the Greek
bail-out could get the go ahead although its goodbye to George
Papandreou. As stock markets still shake, Lloyds is hit by stress,
casino bankers at RBS get bonuses but Ed Miliband backs the 99 per
cent while America and China attack workers’ rights and Danny
Alexander attacks union leaders. The government’s immigration and
aviation policies are under close watch, unlike UK borders,
construction workers are on the way to London while Birmingham’s
refuse collectors may stay at home and there’s a question about
costs for Cameron’s refurb at Downing Street…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
4 November 2011: The
digest opens with the Unison ballot result, Greece cancels its
referendum as the eurozone shakes, there’s more evidence over how
hard women are hit by cuts, there are restrictions on council house
tenants and the rise in benefits may be cut as Osborne targets the
poorest. A banker says sorry while others have to reapply for their
jobs and the high street empties. Mixed news in the air sees some
respite from Monarch, BA will buy BMI and Ryanair accepts mountain
goats as currency while minister Ed Vaizey is minding the
pennies… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
2 November 2011: The
digest opens with a careless comment from a council leader which
shows how little Tories care, while the Archbishop of Canterbury
steps in at St Paul’s, the Greek prime minister is accused of
losing his marbles while the UK is seeing the slowest recovery in a
century and that could be before a double dip. The government is
facing pressure over public sector pensions and puts a supposedly
new offer on the table, while peers are taken to task over links
with private healthcare. On the transport front BA could be after
BMI, there could be collusion on the buses and the Jarrow marchers
are about to reach London… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
1 November 2011: The
digest opens with the shock Greek referendum which has sent stock
markets back down just as the government tries to boost growth by
handing out funds it could not find before, will that be enough to
stem the impact of job losses in the public sector. As personal
debt rises, protestors will soon be served notice but there will be
bonuses for Barclay’s investment bankers. npower is fined, Alstom
attacks Siemens and Gillard attacks Qantas. Gove moans at heads,
Fox gets the brush off and while the Tories are divided low paid
workers in Germany get a boost to basic pay…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
31 October 2011: The
digest opens with the rising call for a Robin Hood tax ahead of the
G20 later this week as Cameron is told to take Clegg on over Europe
just as the deputy prime minister finds £1 billion to boost the
economy. Young people lack support as the Bank of England is told
to come clean on the credit crunch while the Bishop of London is
accused of wanting it both ways. As Miliband attacks predator
companies, Qantas is no longer grounded, but action continues at
Air France. GSK is to build a new factory, while the cost of
decommissioning Sellafield will be borne by the taxpayer and
finally there’s some good news for readers of Tribune…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
28 October 2011: The
digest opens with a deal on the EU bailout, but where’s the detail,
there’s a resignation at St Paul’s while City directors feather
their very extensive nests. There’s a crisis in social care and
Clarke’s crackdown breaks down, it could be goodbye to BMI but
Go-Ahead gets a boost and ex prime ministers expenses are
exposed… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
26 October 2011: The
digest opens with a call for the youth minister to go while
Cameron’s week of hell continues with an attack by the Tory right
leading him to attack workers’ rights just as his pension changes
are challenged in court, women bear the brunt of town hall cuts and
agricultural workers see safeguards on pay abolished. A plea for
Bombardier is ignored, the BAE closure is called a tragedy but BP
and BG get a profits boost, as does UBS which still plans to cut
jobs. Cabin crew at Thomas Cook vote to take action while pressure
builds on the St Paul’s protestors as Europe fiddles over
rescheduling debt while business secretary Vince Cable gets
fined... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
25 October 2011: The
digest opens with Cameron’s failed gamble to try and kick the
eurosceptics into touch, and Cameron also got it wrong on the
riots. As the government makes the biggest cuts to education in 60
years the public sector pensions’ change goes to court, Cameron
brings back Young as agency workers get a raw deal, energy prices
rocket and the government backs bus cuts, but there’s a boost for
Nissan in Sunderland and as Fullers adds five bars you may finally
have the answer as to why you can never get your favourite stinky
cheese in your local supermarket… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
24 October 2011: The
digest opens with Europe high on the agenda as the contagion
continues and Cameron trembles in the face of criticism of his
European strategy. There’s more campaigning against pension
changes, uni applications plummet, a quango will control the NHS,
the Occupy protestors are told to get out, the CBI says small
business needs support while Ryanair patches up a plane with some
tape, Clegg gets more aides and one of Cameron’s mentors raided his
own think tank of £40,000 as he pursued a jet set life…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
21 October 2011: The
digest opens with wall to wall coverage of Gadaffi’s death in Libya
while back home crime is rising, there’s a cabinet conflict over
growth and Cable still wants to cut employment rights. Cameron is
facing a rising revolt while Europe’s leaders cannot agree on
dealing with the debt. As the price of a first class stamp could
soar and energy prices continue to rise, ordinary people focus on
thrift but Debenhams has expansion plans and G4S is slammed over
its bid for ISS. There’s a row at Diageo over pay and some choice
words from an old admiral on cuts to the defence
budget… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
20 October 2011: The
digest starts with some rough justice delivered to the travelling
community at Dale Farm while the justice secretary sneaks out legal
changes that could see justice silenced. Fox blames the media for
his downfall, Cameron changes the date of the EU vote while Cable
admits the economy is worse than under Labour. Public sector job
cuts are accelerating, but the private sector is cutting back too.
Argos slumps as low income families are squeezed on finances and
heating bills while clean coal plant is scrapped. BAA will sell
Edinburgh airport, BAE rejigs its divisions and there’ll be less
orders for EADS… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
19 October 2011: The
digest opens with more gloom on the economy as inflation soars and
the economy goes off track as cuts hit home and misery hits a high.
Fox’s exit is still in the headlines while MPs will debate exiting
Europe as the continent tries to deal with the contagion and debt
downgrades, Goldman Sachs sees a loss but bonuses will still be
paid, PPI complaints drop, construction could come to a halt, but
cleaners get a rise and as a chain maker moves into profit a
soldier is released from captivity in exchange for 1,000
prisoners… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
17 October 2011: The
digest opens with the latest fall out from Fox’s resignation and
another broken pledge from Cameron as women desert the Tories. The
EU and UK need to take economic action as protestors start
occupations around the world. There are cuts to jobs and pensions,
but MPs are protected and there could be some trouble in the air
and also for those planning on investing in false assets who may be
squeezed by a new tax… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
13 October 2011: The
digest opens with yet another rise in unemployment, but the defence
secretary still hangs onto his job. Bombardier workers want the
Thameslink deal reversed, while Mandelson says government should
intervene and the Lords are too timid or tired to save the NHS,
banks balk at capital demands while BAA is fined over queues and
there bad news in foods while bosses use the fear factor to make
staff work for free… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
12 October 2011: The
digest opens with Fox still in the headlines, the NHS bill in the
Lords and Bombardier workers on their way to the Commons. There’s
quite a bit of news on pensions while the recovery is faltering,
manufacturing has dipped but back in Westminster the Commons gets
more cash, the justice minister is under investigation but nuclear
power is safe, Virgin wants green fuel and Ryanair wants to remove
loos. M&S is off to Paris while Le Monde is trying to break a
print union as the EU bailout unravels… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
11 October 2011: The
digest opens with more revelations on Fox who may be safe for now,
but could soon be off to play with toy soldiers in his sandpit.
Cameron tells people to shop their neighbours while his adviser
attacks his cabinet for their looks, doctors attack the
government’s NHS bill and Unison opens its ballot on pensions.
There’s more gloom on the economy with an expected rise in
unemployment, falling exports, a call for growth from the BCC as UK
firms are condemned over tax havens. And while Scania scales back
production, Mini motors ahead, Hesketh heads for UKIP, Wales could
get more powers and the Blackberry breakdown may go on for longer
than expected in the House of Commons if two Tory MPs get their
way… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
10 October 2011: The digest
opens with the hounds after Fox, Huhne gets involved in the
May/Clarke cat flap while Lansley goes missing as the NHS bill
nears the Lords, Cameron wants to charge immigrants while there are
more calls fro a Plan B, but not Leo McKistry’s. The CIPD says
public sector cuts are a false economy as unemployment looks likely
to rise even further, the Bank of England could consider more QE
just as Lloyds and RBS are taken to task over ATMs, but at least
Europe’s leaders have come to an agreement. Steel could be sinking,
Urenco could be sold and a new nuclear plant may open at Sellafield
even with safety concerns, Scotland could look to exit the union,
and union bills are attacked and while Clegg fears his party is
male and stale, could Big Ben be pointing to a new political
direction… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
NHS: Will you only miss it when
it’s gone? By Dave Carr, NHS worker, intensive care nurse and
Unite member and activist. This coming Tuesday the House of
Lords hears the second reading of the bill that will see the end of
the NHS in its current form as the Con-Dem coalition’s NHS bill
returns to parliament...
7 October 2011: The digest
opens with news that while we may not all be in it together, we are
definitely in it as the financial crisis deepens, Cameron tries to
reconnect with women, Clarke still has some of his nine lives left,
Fox’s friend is still in the headlines while it is time to leave
Afghanistan. Elsewhere Ed reshuffles his shadow cabinet, and could
Cable replace Clegg? Down in Southampton workers continue their
struggle as more mobilise for 30 November, the BBC faces severe
cuts, and the buses could be broken up. While manufacturing is
heading back to America, Airbus gets a big order, BA closes
OpenSkies, easyJet is on the up, and Steve Jobs is
remembered… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 October 2011: The digest
opens with Cameron’s conference closer, while the TUC’s Brendan
Barber has been in talks over pensions, Southampton workers are
back on strike while the construction workers campaign is building,
workers pay is down yet again while growth is downgraded, Tesco has
some troubles, Pizza Hut could go and there’s mixed news in
aviation as FlyBe flops while Ryanair rises and a Qantas chief gets
a threat. Over in the US Palin exits the race and its goodbye to
Steve Jobs… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
5 October 2011: The digest
starts with a cabinet flap over cats and human rights while Lansley
lays into unions over the NHS as Hammond boozes it up while
avoiding Bombardier workers. BAE workers are riding to the rescue,
health workers are on strike, while some GPs already want you to
pay for treatment, building starts stop, but there’s a new port on
the way, Apple’s fans are disappointed but bank shares are sinking
and the economy is under pressure but Cameron has a plan to pay off
debts and take even more growth out of the economy…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
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… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
3 October 2011: The digest opens
with demonstrations at the Tory party conference, an apology of
sorts from Cameron and some mystery money to help local
authorities keep council tax down next year. There’s some mixed
details on pay and pensions while nurses fear the sack and the
financial sector could see cuts as a new credit crunch could be on
the way. Elsewhere JCB digs up extra profits, Siemens says its
local, Heathrow may get noisier and Calais could be the new gateway
to Europe... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
30 September 2011: The
digest opens with the shift from the Labour to the Tory party
conference while BAE workers demand the government backs
manufacturing as the defence secretary blames the top brass. There
could be a rethink on child benefit cuts and there’s extra money
for rubbish, the speed limit could also go up as used car sales
soar, but Thomas Cook grounds planes, Santander issues a profit
warning while the treasury courts pension funds as workers gear up
for strike action, and while Germany backs the euro, EU benefit
tourists are attacked but at least the pint is here to stay…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
29 September 2011: The
digest opens with the latest from Labour in Liverpool, while Europe
edges closer to a Tobin tax, bank complaints hit a record as the
Bank of England tells banks to lend rather than pay dividends. The
IOD says business is being strangled, while there’s new rights
coming for agency workers and a rise in the minimum wage on the
way, but pay for the rest of us may remain frozen. There’s mixed
messages from the defence sector as Smiths is squeezed but Babcock
focuses on service and finally has uSwitch identified the real
reason why David Cameron can’t wait to leave the
country… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
28 September 2011:
The digest opens with the coverage of Ed Miliband’s
speech to the Labour party conference as well as Unite’s motion on
the Murdoch press just as the Mail goes for the gutter. The
government gets the blame for the BAE job cuts but shrugs it off,
Europe shrugs off US advice over the bailout while the UK will miss
its deficit cutting target, a new health lotto is called nothing
but a tax on the poor, the Royal Mail is going into recruitment and
British Airways needs to listen to Ed Miliband and reward the right
people not the wrong ones… (Posted by Mik
Sabiers)
27 September 2011: The main news in
most of the papers is the Labour party conference in Liverpool.
There’s a mixed reaction to shadow chancellor Ed Balls speech, but
that would be expected from the right-wing press, and a trail for
Ed Miliband’s leader’s address later today as well as the campaign
to save the agricultural wages board. Elsewhere the global economic
crisis continues with the ILO warning of 40 million jobless,
ordinary people are being squeezed and the high street is expected
to remain frozen. Sailors face the sack, BAE Systems has confirmed
it will cut almost 3,000 jobs and easyJet could get a new rival.
There are calls for less and more regulation while the digest
closes with action over deal busting in construction…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
26 September 2011: The digest
opens with detailed coverage of the first day of the Labour party
conference and the challenges ahead for leader Ed Miliband. The
eurozone crisis is deepening, there are more banking job cuts,
confusion over public sector pensions while agency workers will
finally get equal rights. Osborne is warned over welfare reform
while he gives angels tax breaks, but while companies are cutting
plans by big business are outlined to get Britain working again,
and they chime with plans put forward by Ed Balls in his speech
today… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
Unite at the Labour party conference: Updates
from Unite interventions at the Labour party conference being held
in Liverpool from 25-29 September including speeches by leading
officers and the Unite general secretary Len
McCluskey.
23 September 2011: The digest opens
with sharp falls in stocks and the global economic outlook worsens.
Labour heads of to Liverpool while head teachers join the plans for
ballots on strike action over pensions. Claims over PFI are
challenged, as are media lies and changes to legal aid, but it
seems government just wants to listen to big business. Tesco offers
savings, but is it really giving with one hand and taking with the
other, while there’s a spot of bother for Unilever, HP’s chief is
ousted, easyJet’s Stelios is silenced and Southampton looks for
potential strike breakers while the real message is staring us all
in the face… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
22 September 2011: The digest starts with anger
over plans to exit national agreements, followed by good and bad
news on pensions. Clegg closed the Lib Dem conference with no idea
of Plan B, while the Bank of England looks at QE, PFI hospitals
could be under threat of collapse while new nurses are told they
can’t care but should not go back to the classroom. There’s a
challenge over legal aid while Gove may have to open up his private
email, Halifax offers a little extra while SABMiller snares
Foster’s, Eurostar’s on track, Bombardier gets on a shortlist and
BA’s new campaign takes off… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9 September 2011: The digest opens
with the trail for the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and the shocking
abuse of an Iraqi by the British army. There’s also a trail for
next week’s TUC, and proof that the cuts are not only not working,
but remain ideological. Osborne gets sight of the report on banking
reform while jobs are saved at RBS, but hard to find in Liverpool,
it could be the end of the line for Saab as Nissan celebrates 25
years, Morrison’s is on the up, political funding looks to be cut,
but there’s news that a pint or two is good for you…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
8 September 2011: The digest opens
with strong coverage of the Bombardier lobby across most of the
papers. The NHS change continues while the 50p tax rate stays for
now. There’s a pensions’ shortfall while the high street is
emptying, business wants banking regulation and the eurozone could
get stricter on members and while there’s a threat of strike action
at Apache, BA and Aer Lingus may merge before a series of
challenges culminate in an MP struggling to pick up the
phone… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
7 September 2011: The digest starts
with more gloom for the economy at home and abroad, a rising bill
for the riots and the threat to the NHS and agency workers’ rights
remains, Murdoch could be recalled while parliament will also hear
from the Bombardier workers today, car sales accelerate as do
directors’ pensions and as an ex-politician is under pressure over
expenses, the Lib Dems confirm that Clegg is the problem, what took
them so long? (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 September 2011: The digest opens with the
latest action to save the NHS, before the Bombardier story starts
its journey to the Commons. It may get harder to buy a ticket
unless its from a machine and Boris is coy about tube price rises,
but away from the train more are taking to the skies even as the
economy is hitting the skids. Agency workers’ rights look like they
could be diluted, News International waves goodbye to Wapping while
the CBI calls for growth, Scots Tories want a new name while Lib
Dem MPs may soon be looking for new jobs…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
2
September 2011: The digest starts with more storm
clouds for the UK economy and bad news on jobs for graduates, poor
prospects for state schools and a bad deal for the poor due to NHS
reforms. There’s backing for local manufacturing, but not your
local pub and a ludicrous tipple tax from the Lib Dems, oil deals
could be murky for Tory Alan Duncan and while Cameron grandstands
over Gadaffi the MoD cuts hit home. Labour says no to cuts and yes
to contracts but will there be a new rule to say no memoirs
allowed… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
1
September 2011: The digest starts with an effective U-turn on
bank reform before British manufacturing is under the microscope,
there’s more on the challenge to the Bombardier decision and on
blacklisting in the construction sector, there’s a double blow to
construction workers and BP gets raided, while there are big
worries for pensioners while people are boozing at home and as
travellers are evicted it could be goodbye to the countryside and
the NHS and hello to ‘expensive’ free schools and after his memoirs
are leaked Gordon Brown definitely won’t be calling Alistair
darling… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
31 August
2011: After the long bank holiday weekend it looks
like there’s some forward thinking on procurement, but is it too
late for Bombardier? Elsewhere there’s a focus on the UK economy
which is facing a triple whammy of debt and consumer confidence is
crashing while the housing market is mixed, but homelessness is
rising as is the bill for the riots, although police numbers are
falling and support staff are striking while RAF pilots could come
back to the sack. In Libya they’re still looking for Gadaffi, its
goodbye to Karzai and any chance of equal pay and unless action is
taken the NHS will fade away, but hackgate and Huhne remain in the
headlines… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
26 August
2011: The digest opens with Libya still in the
headlines and Gaddafi still hidden from view, there’s more on the
riots, good news for GCSE students but bad news for the nation’s
waistlines. There’s a warning over smart strikes and workers’
rights while the economy is moving towards that dreaded double dip
as the high street is hammered and Barclays cuts again. As
construction engineering workers terms are challenged, housing
starts come to a stop and with the bank holiday approaching so do
roads and rail, although according to the FT there’s always fun to
be had in a field… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
25 August
2011: Another detailed digest starts with the latest
on Libya, there’s more on riots, odd jobs for an ex-home secretary
while unions call on the NHS bill to be scrapped ahead of the
possibility of coordinated strike action. Consumer confidence drops
again, and billions in tax is missing, although Switzerland will
open its coffers while there are fears over bank finances but
insurance sees a windfall. Apple’s boss quits, there’s trouble
brewing at Heineken, and the channel could be closed over the
holiday weekend, the Guardian newspaper is in a pickle over
Ryanair, and BA has a warning for staff in Nairobi…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 August
2011: Today’s digest opens with Libya, there some
more foreign orders, but Cameron says no change for Bombardier as
youth workers in his neck of the woods are on strike and while the
markets bounce bank, bank stocks drop as does the UK’s economic
performance. There are cuts at Uniq, M&B’s boss gets called to
task while Cameron could face more questions over Coulson and there
could be a strange scent in the air the next time you fly British
Airways… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
22 August
2011: The digest starts with a backlash for the Tories over the
Bombardier betrayal before its back to the riots and Blair wades
in. Cameron goes on another holiday and then promptly comes back
while market sentiment is worsening, UK productivity is falling,
bosses are in a bad mood, consumer confidence is crashing, families
face financial pressure but Osborne thinks the UK is a safe haven.
Elsewhere Lansley thinks its time to replace the NHS with an app,
council chiefs are getting pay rises, but bins are not being
collected, there’s a pay row at Stagecoach, Autonomy is against a
Cadbury law and while Foster’s tries to butter up its shareholders
ex business secretary Peter Mandelson is looking for a new
home… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
19 August 2011:
The digest starts with good news on A-levels, before
there are record riot sentences and staggering losses on the stock
exchange. The cost of PFI is too high and waiting lists are going
up, but the defence sector is downbeat and a Derby MP is taken to
task for not backing Bombardier. Elsewhere bus concessions are cut,
Shell is struggling, there’s a record fine for Talk Talk, Obama
threatens Assad and Ken has a go at Boris…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
18 August 2011:
The digest opens with a faster than expected rise in
unemployment and new that there is more chance of a double dip.
There’s tough justice for rioters, and hackgate remains in the
headlines. As the bank holiday approaches so does rail chaos, but
Virgin goes from strength to strength, Europe is still in economic
trouble while advice on pensions is poor, although consultants
serving the MoD are in the money while Europe looks to Australia
for a drink, as Russia decides that Carlsberg is probably not the
best lager in the world… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
17 August 2011:
The digest starts with more trouble for Cameron as
hackgate returns to the front pages with new revelations of who
knew what. The aftermath of the riots is still being raked over,
while the euro is still shaky despite pledges from Germany and
France. UK inflation is up as are rail fares and energy prices,
there are some mergers allowed and sales in the pipeline and while
Qantas cuts 1,000 jobs in Australia, shipbuilding supports the
Scottish economy, but the UK workplace remains unequal and talking
of inequality Eton’s pay policy could be considered a
mess… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
16 August 2011: The
digest starts with Cameron’s response to the riots with a divide
between the right wing press who say throw the book at rioters and
throw away the key while the left-leaning papers try to understand
the causes. Elsewhere Osborne calls for more cuts as Europe’s
leaders meet to deal with the latest twist in the crisis, Shell has
its own crisis as it deals with the worst leak in British waters
for 10 years and there are more calls for support for the regions
and manufacturing. Elsewhere there’s a few acquisitions on the
company front, possibly some shady share dealing in supermarkets,
students getting creative to avoid debt and while UK backs may be
backing bomb makers casualties are rising in Libya as fighting
becomes fiercer and the rebels close in on the capital…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
15 August 2011:
It’s a mixed start to the week as politicians and the
police trade blows over the riots, while courts are full to
bursting. More jobs woe is on the way, and fares look to rise.
There’s an alarm bell for manufacturing, the north remains key to
the UK’s revival, although the government looks like it will stick
to its cuts, the market mayhem in Europe lessens, but back in
Westminster expenses rear their head and Gordon gets
bashed… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
12 August 2011:
The aftermath of the riots continues to dominate all the
papers. The economic cost to the country could be as high as £1
billion, and after parliament was updated on the riots a defiant
Osborne admitted growth is slowing, says the cuts must continue and
signals wholesale change to workplace rights is coming this autumn.
Elsewhere pay for pilots is dropping, airports are seeing record
passengers, as are very overcrowded trains, Boris is told to back
Bombardier while UK bus services could be on the verge of collapse
and finally there is an interesting twist in the hackgate affair
that could expose the source of the scandal…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
10 August 2011:
The digest is again dominated by rioting which has spread
across the country, although the capital remains subdued rather
than silent as 16,000 police officers take to the streets. On the
international front violence continues in Syria, Fox is on Libyan
manoeuvres in Spain, oil prices are dropping as are pensions but
the stock market has seen a recovery. The UK trade deficit widens,
Lloyds sneaks out news of cuts, BP is in bother and Apple comes out
on top as Young’s calls time and while pilots accept a pay offer
planes are grounded at Gatwick… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9 August 2011:
The digest remains dominated by the unrest in London, but
the markets are also in turmoil while retail is also under
pressure. As cheques see a slow death, more airlines introduce
credit card charges, but a Bombardier file is withheld. As petrol
prices drop the Mini races ahead, Unilever goes off Chicken Tonight
while Foster’s goes flat. Finally as Barclays could be leaving the
UK, and Britain could debate coming out of Europe, you would be
better off learning German… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
8 August 2011: The digest
starts with riots on the streets of London and potential panic in
the markets, but Osborne says he’s right even though his cuts are
only just starting to bite, the sum that charities will lose is
highlighted, while the NHS is praised for its efficiency, before
the Con-Dem changes hit. PFI is challenged as is the government’s
rail policy (or lack of one) and the coalition seems to be
attacking women yet again before its back to greedy bosses, pension
robbers and John Prescott. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
5 August
2011: Is it the end of the week or the end
of the world? If you invested in the stock market the old line is
values can go down as well as up, they went down, badly. Also
having a bad day was Lloyds which saw shares drop by 10 per cent
after racking up losses while Kraft is split in two. The mood in
the public sector darkens while Tories talk of top rate tax cuts,
Lib Dems look to legalise drugs and Labour is after budget
accommodation… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
4 August
2011: Today’s digest starts with gloom in the global
markets, angst for Osborne over growth – or the lack of it, there’s
an industrial alarm and Bombardier is backed by Derby’s
footballers. It’s not a good day for the travel industry, Northern
Rock’s results could herald more cuts and RBS will axe 2,000.
There’s a cash crunch for the NHS, a boom in social enterprises and
apparently charity no longer begins at home. And while politicians
are enjoying their holiday reading workers are told to move to
Mumbai… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
All’s well at Honeywell
thanks to global solidarity: After a bitter
13-month lock out, the United Steelworkers union in the USA has
scored an important victory in the global union fight against
multi-national corporations. (by Tony
Burke)
3 August 2011: The digest
opens with pressure on pay for ordinary workers while Osborne is
told to change course from all angles, the ‘Big Society’ is
crumbling, could there be hope for Dover and if the government acts
there could be for Derby but time is running out. As the US debt
deal is sealed the focus returns to Europe and back in the City
banks announce more job cuts, but neglect to tell the workers,
hackgate continues to gain headlines, file sharing could soon be
legal and is there a coded message for Ed in his holiday reading
material… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
2 August 2011: The digest
starts with the latest development in the Bombardier campaign
before the spectre of mass jobs losses comes back to haunt the
banking sector. As charities are being cut to the bone the
manufacturing sector weakens and the IMF issue a warning on UK
growth. There’s a deal on debt in the US, but the eurozone may come
back into view and there’s also some top tips for Cameron for his
next holiday which will be sooner than you think. Politicians in
general are performing badly and Miliband may be advised not to
listen too closely to his kitchen cabinet… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
1 August 2011: The digest
starts with some government savings on one hand and then golden
goodbyes on the other. There’s a split over tax while people are
told they should work in fear and the CBI says it will be seven
long years before the economy recovers. There’s strike action at
the BBC, AA likes BA and while Ed and David bury the hatchet, the
prime minister keeps hold of his cash and the Met issues a warning
of a new security threat… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
29 July 2011: The digest
starts with all papers covering the changes to public sector
pensions which could result in strike action later in the year.
British gas is in the money while NHS spending falls, SureStart
centres shut, the MoD axes 7,000 more and banks continue to cull
their workers. There’s some good news for manufacturers, although
Derby demands answers over Bombardier, Ryanair could be probed and
the Royal Mail sale may be sunk by Brussels. As data shows the
Tories outspent the opposition at the last election has Labour
found its own Steve Hilton… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
28 July 2011: It’s a mixed
news day with no single story dominating the headlines. The digest
starts on foreign affairs, moves to political holidays, operations
and more pressure for Huhne and then the high street, British gas
is fined, Santander prepares for compensation claims, the risk of
recession rises, the Hilton agenda is revealed, justice minister
Jonathan Djanogly gets embroiled in hackgate while Osborne is in
deep water… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
War on Want: 27 One year and counting! - It is
just one year to the day until London hosts the world’s biggest
sporting event. While we stand back and admire the Olympic stadia
that have been built on time in East London, we should not forget
the millions of people working behind the scenes in sweatshops and
factories across the developing world supplying major sportswear
companies. Find out more from Playfair 2012
(posted by
Jackie Simpkins - 27 July 2011)
26 July 2011: All
papers cover the latest developments after the Norwegian massacre.
The other main story of the day is Osborne’s economic excuses as
growth almost grinds to a halt and Dave’s happiness index looks
like a real waste of money. Cameron is dropped in it over
Bombardier, Lansley’s letter lets the truth out while Cable wants
to be tough on banking but offers no help for finance workers. Away
from the economy and even though Ryanair sees more passengers
Michael O’ Leary can’t resist an argument, Blackberry has some
bother and Osborne speaks out on hacking while Hague heralds
another government U-turn, this time on Gaddafi…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
25 July 2011: The
digest starts on a sombre note with all the papers covering the
attacks in Norway, although many tabloids focus on the death of
singer Amy Winehouse at 27; there is less on the train crash in
China. There’s also coverage of the Bombardier rally on Saturday
with 10,000 marchers taking to the streets and more companies are
joining the critical list ahead of expected poor economic figures
due tomorrow. The Lloyds sell off flops while stocks rise and
Lansley comes to the aid of public sector workers over pensions
before its back to sacking workers and hacking phones…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
22 July 2011: The
digest opens with relief across the eurozone as France and Germany
agree a deal to bail out the Greek economy and other peripheral
nations if need be. And while the UK is borrowing more the cuts
continue with cops in the firing line. Unite issues a call to
reverse the Bombardier decision ahead of tomorrow’s rally. Loans
remain low while energy and petrol is up. Apple phones hit a high
and hackgate subsides a bit, but for a look at the long term
actions of the Murdoch Empire come to the exhibition on Wapping
which opens next week… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
90
days to save Bombardier: Unite assistant general secretary
Diana Holland, writing on leading left blog Labour List, explains why the
governemnt must reverse its decision and keep rail manufacturing in
Derby. ,
21 July 2011: The
digest kicks off with Cameron squirming in the Commons, before
being cornered in Downing Street by voluntary sector workers. While
the euro struggles on the markets, the UK economic divide widens,
Hammond admits he ignored local issues, signals may be reduced, but
Eurostar is soaring as is American Airlines with a massive order,
but Santander may not float and Kraft wants to introduce you to
Cadbury’s chocolate cheese… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
20 July 2011: The
digest starts with the Murdoch media circus but moved on to pension
concessions, the return of a threat to the NHS and the return of
PFI for schools. There’s action over the Big Society while there
are job losses and bonuses in the City, a chance for Bombardier,
BAA looks like it will have to sell Stansted and there’s a new
general secretary for the Labour party… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
18 July 2011: The
digest starts with Len McCluskey’s interview in the Guardian where
he talks of widening Unite membership to students and the
unemployed and building a real alternative, before its back to
phone hacking while Cameron’s word is called into question over
Bombardier, the euro is wobbling, as is Osborne, 17.000 soldiers
could be for the chop, while the voluntary sector will fight back,
there’s an aviation backlog and possible problems for the Lloyds
sell off and while City bonuses are back Glasman raises the
immigration question again... (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
15 July 2011: It’s a media
mix to the start of the digest that sees Rebekah resign, the Mail
in trouble and BBC journalists on strike. Crime surges as does
energy price poverty and the euro crisis deepens but business still
needs loans, the CBI backs Bombardier while Siemens wins out again,
the NHS is ailing, while cuts to coastguards are partly reversed,
there’s a row over Bercow, a minister tries to save her seat and
there’s also a pickle for staff at the department for communities
and local government… (Posted by Mik
Sabiers)
CSEU conference digest:
The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions’
(CSEU) conference was held in Southport from 13-15 July 2011. The
following is a round up of the debates and some of the motions
passed at this year’s conference... (by Tony
Burke)
14 July
2011: The digest starts with a food driven
theme as workers demand a share of the profits before mixed
messages on unemployment figures which see a fall but continue to
worsen for women. As people struggle to pay the bills the OBR
demands higher taxes and lower spending, senior civil servants get
a bonus while gold hits a new high and the government is again
challenged over Bombardier, Stelios is to told to shut up and while
prison places are under pressure could collars be felt at News
International… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
13 July
2011: The digest starts with more on hacking, and the
Bombardier campaign is still rolling on, a new Made in Britain logo
is revealed, but will there be anything left for it to be put on
and while debt is up, the NHS is affordable, but if Lansley’s
changes come in say hello to private healthcare. Thomas Cook is in
trouble as people stay at home while a drunk pilot tries to get
refuelled in Kent and a couple of drinks firms look to expand,
Jamie says goodbye as Sainsbury’s workers demand fair pay and the
near collapse of RBS is being widened… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
12 July
2011: Another packed digest starts with Cameron’s call to flog
off UK plc, while Southampton council is stashing cash, support for
cuts drops, Southern Cross finally collapses there’s a spending
squeeze, markets tumble, more strikes in the air, bad news for BA
pensions and bonuses for Network rail are rightly condemned, coke
is not it, Rebekah’s still there and it seems Blair no longer cares
about fair pay… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
11 July
2011: The digest starts with Southampton council back
up the agenda, Murdoch flies in, the trouble with trains remains
and Cameron is keen to kick the public out of the public sector.
There are pressures on education and health and it looks like the
economy is slipping back into recession while the eurozone crisis
could be widening, although if you had plans for a foreign trip you
may need to count the pennies, alternatively you can holiday at
home, Durham was the destination for thousands over the
weekend… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
8 July 2011:
Murdoch’s skrinking empire dominates the headlines, while
there’s a twist at Bombardier and its goodbye to the Lancaster
bomber, Virgin tries to agree a deal, but in Southampton Royston
still won’t come to the table, Pickles went on a jolly while the
economy starts to struggle and over a million jobs have gone,
leaving the digest to end on a drink and a flutter on the
EuroMillions… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
7 July 2011:
Hacking and Bombardier continue to lead the news as the crisis at
News International widens as do calls for proper government action
on Bombardier. Another day and another pledge - this time on the
tidal power – is broken, car sales are down, but investment bankers
are in line for bonuses while donations are down in the voluntary
sector, private sector pay is up and Southampton’s workers are
still on strike, but there is one man for whom rubbish is
everything… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 July 2011:
Bombardier and hacking hold the headlines for a second day, before
Osborne tries to offload more work there’s more bureaucracy coming
at the NHS, and will the Tories privatise the state? Public sector
pay is under scrutiny while Shropshire will sack all its staff.
There’s pressure for ordinary people as business returns to normal
in the skies before back to politics and is Cameron’s power waning
and Miliband showing his might… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
5 July
2011: The digest starts with the news of
1,400 redundancies at Bombardier, before the Dilnot report looks at
care, the NHS celebrates its birthday, but how many more will it
have? There are alarming accounts at the MoD while a slasher gets
an unjust reward, the Southampton strike looks set to spread to the
seas, but there’s good news for Princess Yachts, mortgage debt
drops as do construction jobs and there some bad news for Ed
Miliband and Brown gets blamed again… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
1 July
2011: The main news of the day is the
coverage of yesterday’s strike action, but it was very bad news in
the banking sector as almost 16,000 planned job cuts were
announced. There’s a call for a review of procurement, the BSkyB
deal is waved through, there’s some good news for Labour (even with
Miliband not backing yesterday’s action) and some odd thoughts on
Gove… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
30 June
2011: One of the biggest strikes for decades
starts as hundreds of thousands of workers take action over
pensions, Maude is mauled by PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka,
strikers in Southampton are snubbed, the police face bail chaos,
but it’s ok to stab a burglar, there’s more on high street closures
and consumer sales weaken, but rail profits soar, Huhne puts his
foot on the accelerator and then does a U-turn on nuclear plants,
while Cable calls for more apprentices, and while an iconic UK site
is up for sale, in Greece everything must go…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
29 June
2011: The digest starts with the latest ahead of
tomorrow’s strike action with the government ramping up the
rhetoric, but unions saying focus on the issues, there’s bad news
on crime, the high street is struggling and incomes are squeezed,
but its back to business as usual for bonuses for HSBC bosses,
manufacturing needs a strategy, Boris tries to find one and should
Charles face the chop… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
27 June 2011: The
digest starts with Gove adding fuel to the fire over strike action
on Thursday, there are concerns for the NHS and care, there’s a
global warning on inflation while as Lloyds gets ready to cut more
staff Tesco wants to learn to love them, Branson warns Virgin’s
pilots, Unilever does a U-turn while Cameron gets embroiled in a
bullying case, and further afield there’s concern for Chavez in
Cuba… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
23 June 2011: In
today’s very detailed digest there’s a focus on remuneration at the
start, talk of free shares before pensions hit the agenda again.
There are warnings from Lord Hutton and Tebbit while Osborne is
told to go for Plan B as the Bank of England considers more QE.
There’s harmony at BA, but turbulence for Virgin and Airbus strikes
a giant deal while Bombardier workers blast the government. New
nuclear sites are to be outlined, before BP is blamed for the
Deepwater disaster, a consumer storm is brewing while Miliband’s
plans are starting to come together…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
22 June 2011: Yesterday
was the formal announcement of the U-turn on sentencing, and
surprisingly Cameron took charge, but the military is less than
happy. Elsewhere there’s a plea for action from Prentis, the
government’s books are worsening and ordinary people are squeezed.
Foster’s and Capital Pub say no, and Bombardier and Lotus want some
aid while it’s no go for R3 or Virgin and Greece is still feeling
the pinch… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
21 June 2011: The
digest starts with the latest on the euro crisis before its back to
government policy with no U-turn on pensions but one on prison
sentences while legal aid is cut meaning only the rich will be able
to afford to go to court. Gove could be alienating future voters
and the honeymoon is over, the cheque guarantee card is almost gone
while Lloyds limits travel, there’s an exit as Asda, Ryanair looks
east and is Bob a sleeper… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
20 June 2011: The row over Danny
Alexander’s speech continued over the weekend and features in most
of today’s papers with all sides digging in, there’s more cuts at
the Royal Mail while ordinary people are not having a holiday but
borrowing to pay the bills, bad dads are two-facedly taken to task
by Cameron and as free schools forge ahead the King’s Fund calls
for possible hospital closures and as planes take off for the Paris
Air Show, Nato bombs rain down on Libya, while a voice for peace is
finally silenced… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
17 June 2011: The
digest starts with another bad decision from the government this
time over train manufacturing, before changes to public sector
pensions are outlined, there’s some union bashing while councils
are told they should cut more as a whole host of different services
and groups are for the chop and high street sales drop, there’s a
little help from Tesco, easyJet eyes Southport, Balls calls for a
cut and Clegg cracks a joke… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
16 June 2011: The digest
starts with the latest on proposed strike action over pensions in
the public sector, while public sector privatisation may be
shelved, Northern Rock will be sold off (at a loss), while the
economic woes are here for a while longer, the NHS reforms are
attacked as not going far enough by an ex-Labour health secretary
while Cameron is robustly challenged over benefits for cancer
patients by Ed Miliband, and there’s no protection for domestic
workers while Brooks has been hacked and could MPs be
gagged... (posted by Mik Sabiers)
15 June 2011: The
digest begins with the latest on the NHS U-turn and the end of
weekly rubbish collections while Southampton’s refuse workers are
still on strike, more mail jobs could go while bank bosses are
coining it in, justice is taken away from the poor, there’s trouble
at Tesco and inflation remains stubbornly high, while some papers
continue to have it in for Ed Miliband and there’s possibly a
comical end for Blair… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
13 June 2011: The
digest starts with the expected outcome of the Con-Dem coalition’s
listening exercise on the NHS, before a set of government U-turns,
strikes in Southampton, the threat of 15,000 more job cuts at
Lloyds even while banks are hitting their targets. There’s good
news for the Midlands, but bad news on farms and sibling rivalry
comes back to haunt the Labour leader, will he juggle his
priorities… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
10 June 2011: The
digest starts with the strong endorsement of BMW’s workforce and
also good news for apprentices at Rolls-Royce, but then there’s a
reverse at Wincanton, Lloyds cuts again, homelessness is on the
rise, the Southern Cross care crisis continues, NHS reforms must be
properly reviewed, and Cameron wants rid of a troublesome priest,
Balls went for Blair while the Mail banks on Hilary, yes really.
M&S bosses coin it in, the Royal Mail privatisation bill passes
its final parliamentary hurdle and a Tory MP is arrested for
assault… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
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…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
8 June 2011:
Southampton’s workers are still out on the streets so
don’t forget to contribute to the strike fund, elsewhere the other
main news of the day is the NHS U-turn, which is rapidly followed
by one on prison sentences, there’s a vote of no confidence in the
education minister, jobs growth is down while inflation and fuel
prices are on the up again, but one city exec gets a pay cut, while
a rethink is urged on selling off more of Lloyds’ branch network
and the new financial watchdog is called into question before it
has held its first formal meeting… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
7 June 2011: As
workers take action at the Equality and Human Rights Commission the
digest starts with a challenge for business secretary Cable over
threats to toughen up strike laws. Some good news for Osborne as
the right wing IMF backs the austerity package, but warns tax cuts
may be needed and Cameron says he should be trusted on the NHS.
There’s pension problems mounting, the cucumber conundrum continues
and while Apple looks to the clouds, airlines are in for some
turbulence, car sales slump, and the Tories unveil Cruddas as their
new co-treasurer. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 June 2011: The
digest kicks off with a call for contributions for the Southampton
city council workers, Unilever staff are next to stage a walkout,
and National Grid may follow, but Vince Cable issues a veiled
threat over strike action even as up to 40,000 jobs may be cut at
the Royal Mail. Cameron’s big society has been hit by a collapse in
charities, but George does not want to think about a plan B. Hague
backs the Libyan rebels, while Labour backs Ed Miliband and there’s
a possible warning from Red Tories for those flirting with Blue
Labour... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
3 June 2011: The
digest starts with sombre news of the death of four workers after
an accident at a refinery in Wales. The main story of the day
remains local government cuts with Birmingham council being taken
to task and Southampton’s workers continuing to take action.
There’s a call to nationalise Southern Cross, a danger that PFI may
be back, while the public sector pay freeze is condemned as the
Commons credit card takes off even with the war on waste, bad news
from Lotus cars, while Twinings loses EU funding, Aviva gets a new
UK boss and Glencore goes on a charm offensive…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
2 June 2011: The
digest starts with Birmingham city council taking the dubious
honour of being the first council to offshore local jobs, elsewhere
the Care Quality Commission is challenged, Lansley says the NHS
must reform or die, although his spin doctor is silenced, Osborne’s
actions see Centrica leave a gas field idle, while manufacturing
drops raising fears of a double dip, executive pay at Morrisons is
attacked and HSBC is taken to task for assuming 10 per cent of its
staff automatically underperform… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
1 June 2011: The
digest starts with Sainsbury’s under the microscope, before Tesco
bonuses are shaken up and cucumbers are not the cause, although
thousands of elderly people are at risk from a collapse, and as
care standards in one home have been likened to torture, the cuts
are having an impact on mental health. There’s no checks on doctors
over commissioning, one Lord is taken down for fiddling his
expenses, while Huhne is still in the headlights. The housing boom
is being inflated as bad loans may be covered up and - even with
help for first time buyers - construction is in crisis, as is
Nokia, but Apple is looking for a cloud, consumers are looking at a
very slow recovery, but is Labour benefiting?
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
27 May 2011: It’s a
quieter end to the week as the country winds down for the long bank
holiday weekend, it starts with the capture of one of the world’s
most wanted war criminals, a Lord is found guilty over expenses
while Huhne could be off the hook. Looking at policy there are some
economic jitters and is the health bill splitting the coalition,
while Virgin may be coming to a high street near you, but Barclays
cuts again, Jaguar’s profits jump, BAE sells, BAT buys and BP and
other oil firms are taken to task over an alleged oil oligopoly at
petrol stations… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
26 May 2011: It’s
another packed digest as Obama offers some advice to Cameron, which
he and Osborne duly ignore, the OECD adds its view too, there’s
more on the NHS, challenges to cuts in the courts, rail reform is
trailed, while banks are taken to task, before Lloyds axes more
jobs, as does arms firm Selex, Focus disappears as the ash cloud
vanishes, and Huhne could go that way too… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
25 May 2011: The digest starts
with poor results on government borrowing as tax receipts drop even
with the VAT rise, while more finance jobs are cut and Lloyds is
ready to challenge branch sales, Glencore dips while M&S
targets the rich while in Southampton strikes over sackings
continue, Cashcroft is called in while Big Society tsar Wei walks
off, before there’s bad news for lovers of Guinness and Marmite,
but better news if you are on your holidays, as long as you’re not
going to Germany… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 May
2011: It’s a bit of a mixed start to the
week with strikes at Southampton, the possibility of more scrutiny
for the NHS bill and the fourth Big Society relaunch by the prime
minister as the middle gets squeezed, banks aren’t lending and
another volcano has exploded. Huhne is still being hounded and the
name of that mystery footballer is almost revealed, but not in this
digest… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
19 May
2011: It’s a packed digest today as Clarke
is called on to resign while the head of the IMF does, a chasm on
the NHS opens up, while the education, energy and home secretary
are all in the headlines for the wrong reasons, there’s a split at
the MPC, while unemployment figures show mixed results. Strikes are
at an 80-year low, Lloyds bonuses are blasted by shareholders, a
cream boss is a clot, while Clegg’s looking for more
spin… (edited by Mik
Sabiers)
18 May 2011:
The digest opens with a jump in inflation, before battle
between Cameron and Fox continues, Huhne is still in the headlines,
while Lords reform is attacked from all sides, there’s a call for a
pause in Law reform, while Laws calls for Lib Dems to be nice to
Tories and Labour should be nice to Lib Dems, but business wants to
be nasty to workers, Vodafone benefits from smartphones. BAE is hit
over corrupt practices, the people’s port is praised, but there’s
some taxi trouble although letting the train take the strain may be
more costly… (edited by Mik
Sabiers)
17 May 2011: The
digest starts with Cameron’s supposed listening exercise on the
NHS, before politicians are being caught out or in the courts,
there’s a league table for leading universities, a possible pension
time bomb for women, some possible help for the high street, but
less tax from Boots, more airline strikes could be on the cards,
and just how bad is your boss? (edited by Mik
Sabiers)
16 May 2011: It’s a gloomy
start to the week as latest research shows the divide between rich
and poor is getting ever bigger, and will only worsen, retail sales
look set for a decade of doom while job vacancies vanish, despite
what Cameron says there will be no NHS U-turn, there’s trouble over
energy policy, more military cuts, a boost for Dover port and
possibly a banking bonus for ordinary people, before trouble that
could end the careers of DSK and Huhne and a very empty rally for
the cuts… (edited by Mik Sabiers)
6 May 2011: Lots happening in
today’s digest, the election results are still coming in and it’s
bad news for the Lib Dems, but also not so good for all of us as
the economy faces more pressures, fights over strikes could be
breaking out on the tube, but there’s good news for the motor
industry, but bad for Flybe as shares take a dive, Lloyds racks up
more losses over PPI, while Thanet Earth is challenged over working
conditions as commodities see falls, and could Clegg learn from
Tommy Cooper… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
5 May 2011: It’s
election day so good luck to all the Unite and Labour candidates
out there, Boris fails to do some joined up thinking over strikes
as Cameron and Clegg are challenged, economic news is rather dire
as incomes are squeezed, house prices drop and shops close, the
deficit is not being effectively dealt with, while the City seems
to be back to normal as the Glencore float nears... (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
4 May 2011: The digest
starts with two different deaths, before the AV campaign gets very
bitter, families are facing severe cuts, sterling slips and Britons
are working harder, foreign welders are not welcome, there’s still
no RBS report, easyJet’s charges are rising while Ryanair is
circling over Aer Lingus and possibly vultures over the Ark Royal
before forest fires and a meltdown at Thorntons…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
20 April 2011:
It’s an education themed start with trouble with tuition
fees and teachers threatening to strike, the government says it is
listening on the NHS while effectively admitting it didn’t read
previous responses, there’s news on the Welsh election, Gordon gets
punished, but banking bosses get away again, BP’s still in bother,
but Burton’s gets a breather, Ryanair thinks up another charge as
Unite’s talks with BA continue, and there may soon be hidden
messages from Essex Fire Authority as it looks to counter the
cuts… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
19 April
2011: More misery for the markets as credit
agency Standard & Poors throws a spanner in the works, there’s
a swing to ‘no’ over AV, Lansley is accused of propaganda over the
NHS while as tuition fees hit ever higher levels the CBI decries
education standards, the local elections are drawing closer, it’s
bye bye Bendicks, but hello to the 800th Wetherspoon pub and the
new Beetle before some Orange workers get offered a not very bright
relocation allowance… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
18 April
2011: As people gear up for the bank holiday
the digest kicks off with the latest on the AV and election
campaigns, Unite calls for sector forums in Scotland and Cameron’s
‘Big Society’ is taken to task, as are his words on the NHS, PFI
ploughs on, typical for a bank holiday weekend there’s transport
trouble, but not at BA, the government may drop best before dates
while the Telegraph has found some new government leaks…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
15 April 2011: The digest starts
with good news at BA, while there cabinet clashes, top guns are
grounded, Lloyds cuts even more jobs, cheques may be saved, Gordon
probably won’t go to Washington, but Bart goes with a £2 billion
bang... (posted by Mik Sabiers)
14 April 2011:
A bit of good news on unemployment starts the digest, but
if you look behind the figures the outlook is more worrying.
Elsewhere Lansley is still in the midst of a storm over NHS reform,
Cameron bangs the immigration drum while there’s trouble at the
treasury, challenges over charity cuts, and even though the Post
Office is protected a lot more businesses are looking shaky.
There’s mixed news from the car industry, more pressures in
aviation and a call for a Tobin tax, while the Mail has a good word
for Brown as Green considers returning to the
UK… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
13 April 2011:
The digest starts with economic data, before Lansley is
lambasted and Clegg is duffed up and even the Cabinet Office is
carpeted, there are good polls for Labour, but bad news on the
happiness index, while many more will have to work longer and
there’s more on the banking review as AIB announces 2,000 job
cuts… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
12 April 2011: The digest starts
with more analysis of the interim report into the banking sector,
before economic gloom starts to hit the high street and growth
forecasts, Dave gets his facts wrong again, Clegg vanishes, there’s
good and bad news at BAE Systems and some trouble in the car sector
as parts become scarcer… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
11 April 2011: The
digest starts with the NHS on the critical list, there’s a big
squeeze for families before banking comes to the fore, some money
is found for the military while teenagers are hit again, the
election campaign is staring to heat up while Longbridge is reborn,
nuclear disposal could be doomed and Dave has a special
message… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
8 April 2011: Osborne is back on
the attack as the minimum wage is expected to see a minimal rise,
Gove grabs more money from schools as youth services are vanishing,
but there could be U-turn on defence cuts. Interest rates rise in
Europe as Portugal asks for assistance while back home banks look
likely to face a bit more competition, there’s something fishy in
the City, an MP pleads guilty and there’s another ballot at BA, and
is the real reason for Letwin’s outburst about flying cheap
airlines revealed? (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
7 April 2011:
The NHS leads the digest, is the government looking for a
way out from the reforms? One minister thinks everything is fine
while there are fears the economy is weakening, the car sector sees
mixed returns as sales drop and production slows (due to parts
shortages) while in the City bankers stay put while porters look
likely to be shown the door, but there are elections just around
the corner… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 April
2011: Benefit cuts and tax rises start to
bite from today as the Con-Dem changes come in, there’s a surge in
services but is it government driven? Clegg challenges social
mobility, but neglects his own back yard, tuition fees are maxed to
the limit, while Lansley’s NHS reforms are getting decidedly
wobbly, Cameron says tax the rich, yes really, BA ups its surcharge
again, Pringles are snapped up and there’s a change at Carlsberg,
well probably… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
4 April 2011:
The digest starts with an in-depth interview with Len
McCluskey before its back to cuts and the government is possibly
backtracking on health reforms - albeit for three months – while
cuts are coming home, and if not cuts its rises, stamps go up by 5p
today, European interest rates may rise later this week, there are
scandalous safety bonuses, a hole opens in a plane, while there are
problems getting parts for Honda, but Tesco may be able to sort you
out with a second hand motor… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
1 April 2011: The digest
starts with cuts again, before NHS changes are attacked, and while
the bad banks have some good news there’s fresh trouble in Ireland,
the ‘king of the road’ dies, Oddbins is on the way out while
Kraft’s chief is richly rewarded, Boris fails to secure a deal for
tube talk and another ex-MP is jailed…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
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? (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
30 March 2011: The digest
starts with a direction of the governments cuts, the worst drop in
incomes for 30 years, a possible nail in the coffin of the NHS and
a warning of overregulation, before there’s good news on the buses
and Unite has a very unlikely fan; read on to find out who…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
29 March 2011: BA is back in
the headlines as crew vote for strike action by a large majority
for the fourth time, before cuts are back on the agenda, with more
job cuts at Northern Rock, council cuts and potential changes as
the elections near, a ‘shambles’ of a U-turn on the EMA by Gove,
while Clarke has woken up, fuel prices are cut for some while the
division of Libya moves closer… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
28 March 2011: The digest
starts with further coverage of Saturday’s march, while the
government sails on with its cuts, take-home pay is falling, high
fees become the norm, the roads empty, pubs close, but the rich may
get a tax cut. There’s anger over AV, Clegg lays down a challenge
while on the international front the Libyan crisis worsens and
Japan is hit by another – fortunately weaker – earthquake…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
24 March 2011: The budget
dominates the papers squeezing out most other news, although
Sainsbury’s sees a slowdown, Britain is becoming bleak, there are
toxins in Tokyo’s water, air attacks continue in Libya and
Portugal’s government falls over austerity cuts…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
23 March 2011: It’s budget
day with all focus on whether there’s a strategy for growth or the
coalition continue to be defined by cuts, Burton’s workers are on
the march while the CBI wants people to feel pain. The Forth Port
goes private and the BBC may see the return of the test card,
Somerdale’s for sale, while Vodafone buys Dutch, JCB expands,
Rolls-Royce gets a new deal and Ryanair pays out for once…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
22 March 2011: International affairs open the
digest while on the home front the budget looms large, pay freezes
and job cuts add to the bad news, but the privatised companies are
able to raise prices and profits as the squeeze goes on. There’s
some movement from the Takeover Panel, alarm bells for AssetCo and
the Equality Commission, uproar at universities and more planning
for the march on Saturday… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
21 March 2011: The digest starts with
Libya and Japan still in the headlines, while Wednesday’s budget is
coming into view, banks don’t want to be broken up, house prices
rise while Kraft is called to account again, Diageo looks for
another tipple while Sainsbury’s and South West Trains are both in
a squeeze, NHS nurses see more complaints, Labour outlines its
health plan and health and safety protection is slashed so its time
to put your boots on for the March for the Alternative…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
18 March 2011: The digest starts with
a foreign focus again as Libya is added to the tragedy in Japan.
Back in the UK and falling consumer confidence see economic clouds
darkening, UK pensions are paltry, Lloyds cuts more jobs, loss
making RBS provides bigger bonuses, Cable cuts time for training
and BA ramps up Atlantic flights... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
15
March 2011: Japan again leads the headlines
as nuclear meltdown comes closer. The other main story is another
Hutton report – this time from Will and on public sector pay –
which is a missed opportunity, Labour outline some economic plans,
while change in the NHS is questioned, there’s a new BA row, still
no Cadbury law and time to take action is getting closer, and there
may be some solace if all this is getting you down…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
14
March 2011: It’s a sombre start to the day’s digest as
the aftermath of the earthquake in Japan leads all papers. On the
domestic front Clegg claims he has a soul, and the NHS is safe in
his hands, Labour outlines an alternative, research shows overpaid
bosses don’t deliver as RBS dishes out more lolly to senior staff,
food and drink exports are up, there’s no agreement on a drinks
code and Kraft’s boss refuses to come to the table, again.
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
11 March 2011:
The digest opens with further coverage of the Hutton
report into public sector pensions, Clegg has no regrets, there’s
more concern over NHS changes and the BloodMoney petition hits new
highs. There’s still pressure on petrol prices, a refinery being
sold, Vodafone’s hacked, BAA’s boss gets a boost, a banker is
behind bars but you may need to think of a new name for former RBS
boss Fred Goodwin… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
10 March 2011:
The top story is the publication of former Labour work
and pensions secretary John Hutton’s report into public sector
pensions, there’s a lot of detail and it could all end in strikes,
before it is back to cuts, bonuses for bankers and workers for
once, vehicle and air tax is attacked, but some good news for
orders in aviation, before it’s a no to some bids, pretty packets
and the alternative vote… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9 March
2011: Cuts and changes open the digest with cops
in the firing line today before more fears over the health sector
arise, the HSE could no longer surprise, and there’s disgraceful
bonuses at RBS, while a couple of Lloyds top staff could be on
their way. Strikes have spread to Spain, while there is some good
news for Connaught workers, less so for women on yesterday’s
hundredth anniversary of International Women’s Day… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
7 March 2011: A busy start to
the week as the digest starts with challenging the cuts in Cardiff
before Cameron lays the blame, the Mirror provides a map of cuts
which are nice to Tory heartlands and nasty to the rest of us while
there’s a warning of healthcare going back to the 1930s, more
clamour for tax cuts (for the rich), a banking bonus that may be
liked, before its back to cuts in Ireland although there’s good
news on UK strike action from the courts for once…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
3 March 2011:
The Geneva motor show gets the digest off to a driving
start before there’s anger over aviation tax, a warning from and
for Pickles, health concerns and Cameron has a bad day in the
office… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
2 March 2011:
The digest starts with Bank of England governor King
laying the blame for the crisis at the foot of the financial
services sector, fuel costs continue to rise and manufacturing is
seeing a rise too, but big companies keep their tax bills low while
cuts continue to bite at the MoD and in councils across the
country, Barclays has poached Egg while Lloyds halts closures, for
now. There some good news on the car production front as the
turnaround of Jaguar Land Rover continues, as does demand for train
carriages but some clouds on the horizon as yet another ballot at
BA begins... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
1 March 2011:
The digest starts with more pressure on workers and more cuts from
councils while Pickles’ plans are not worth the paper they were
written on. There’s confusion over pensions, faster food inflation
but snail like mail before customer complaints at banks remain
high, as do bonuses for the elite and while the airline industry
could be turning a corner, a range of new cars are unveiled in
Geneva and new spin is on its way to Downing Street…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
23 February
2011: The digest begins with the real scale
of the attack on the NHS, 50,000 jobs have already been identified
for cuts despite a government pledge to protect the front line, and
the cuts don’t stop there, cops are under the cosh, Tory councils
are complaining about front loading, there’s anger in Manchester,
while bankers are called on to pay their fair share. Osborne gets a
windfall before the unemployed are told to get on their bikes as
the high street starts to struggle and while BAA reduces its losses
BA is once again back in the headlines as a fourth ballot over
action is called… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
22 February
2011: It’s a quieter day on the domestic front, so
much so the government tries to squeeze out plans to privatise
everything under the radar and instead of running the country it
looks to break strikes that have not even been called. There’s more
MoD cuts, the census is challenged, financial worries for ordinary
people, a banker tears into bonuses while there’s a big error at
Halifax, trouble on the roads, but not the buses and a not so easy
lunch in the air, Carlsberg goes down badly while Diageo gets some
Turkish delight… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
16 February
2011: The digest starts with more dosh for
the rich bankers while the rest of us need to prepare for rate
rises, the north south divide has widened, the welfare bill is on
its way, council cuts are coming as are demonstrations. There’s a
plea for farm unity, Premier Foods is paying off its debt while
Fosters sells wine and then while there may be some trouble in the
City skies, bus delays may be compensated and train travellers had
trouble, the MG6 is finally almost ready to go as may some of
Cameron’s top team… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
15 February
2011: Is it BS or not? The big society
relaunch starts the day’s news before there’s neglect at the NHS,
council waste is challenged, youth unemployment is close to a 20
year high so business complains about red tape. The reality is seen
on the high street, while there’s some waste and some arguments at
the MoD, oil prices are rising, airline earnings could be squeezed,
but bankers are still rolling in it…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
14 February
2011: A constructive and packed conference
for youth services starts the day’s digest before banks come back
into view. Then more cuts are outlined, pay is being squeezed,
benefits attacked and private companies given a free hand to NHS
services. Elsewhere tanker drivers are queuing up for croissants,
Bentley’s bringing in a fuel efficient luxury car, there’s a new
Boeing 747 and another ballot at BA... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
11 February
2011: The digest starts with votes for
prisoners, or not as the case may be, before ex MPs are in the
dock. There’s no change in interest rates, but the cuts are
challenged and the Centre for Policy Studies looks to abolish
public sector pensions in their current form. There’s more on the
Big Society, an attack on ‘zombie’ bankers and a bonus for Boris’
aide while Kraft’s profits crumble and Diageo loses its
fizz… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9
February 2011: Banks take today’s headlines as Lloyds cuts
again, Osborne announces a little levy and a lot of lolly goes from
the City to Tory coffers. There’s the true cost of cuts in
Manchester although the sale of search and rescue is off, as is the
latest action at BA after another legal challenge this time to the
ERS. There are some potential sales in the City, but Talk Talk is
down and the phone tapping scandal hits the Sun again, plus be
careful what you tweet… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
8
February 2011: The digest starts with pressure on the
‘Big Society’ as Cameron gets concerned he is being defined by
cuts, Lib Dem hypocrites are challenged, Clegg wants easier access
to universities, there’s a class of 70 and free schools are causing
some problems in London, there’s no deal on AV, but a possible
agreement on bankers, the IoD gets it wrong, there’s a stark divide
on pensions and change brewing in the drinks sector…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
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… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
11 January
2011: Unite’s Len McCluskey sets the day’s
agenda in an interview on BBC’s Today programme, bankers’ bonuses
are still commanding the headlines, Clegg’s got an alarm clock,
while the type of jobs being created are questioned after Cameron’s
summit, there are new cars aplenty in Detroit, but possible truck
trouble in Luton, PetroChina snaps up Ineos and there’s trouble on
the runway, a deadline for De La Rue and by-election blues for the
Lib Dems… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
10 January
2011: Today’s digest starts with the results
of the survey into bullying at BA which demands the company make
wholesale changes in its attitude to its workforce. Elsewhere
there’s anger over rising pump prices, bankers’ bonuses are
defended by the government while it’s the finance sector workers
that bear the brunt of cuts, there’s trouble over recalls for both
companies and a politician, and while some UK MPs are looking at TV
or in trouble, a shock shooting causes pause for thought in the US.
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
6 January
2011: Birmingham is back in the news as the local
council again worsens the situation in its dispute with the city’s
refuse collectors, the real result of cuts is shown at BP while
Cameron admits the truth on VAT, poor Clegg is cold shouldered in
Oldham, Cadbury is close to shutting Somerdale, there’s some
espionage over electric vehicles and Qantas will soon be flying all
its A380s again, while there’s a senior shake up at British
Airways… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
5 January 2011:
The digest starts with news of a slightly revised offer
from Heinz which will now be put to the workers, but VAT is still
hogging the headlines as Osborne says the 20 per cent rate is here
to stay, students are scrambling for places while beds are filling
up due to flu. Although there’s good news for manufacturing,
consumers remain cautious, Ryanair is investigated while easyJet
buys some more planes, more cars are on the way, but taxis may be
hit and its farewell to Rosie the
Riveter… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
4 January
2011: Remember Labour’s VAT-man ads
during the election campaign? Well today VAT goes up just as
everyone is struggling to work with a further jump in travel
prices. The digest also sees Ed start his fight back, there are
questions about votes, the cuts start to come home to roost in
piles of rubbish while there are more threats to terms and
conditions, a questionable cure for binge drinking and bonuses
across the board, but as ever skewed towards the top…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
20 December 2010: The digest starts
with a pledge from Unite’s Len McCluskey and the news that Cameron
has invited union leaders to Downing Street, housing benefit hangs
in the balance, before a whole list of broken pledges raise their
head from education to health and rail although with all the snow
the country has ground to a halt, again. Elsewhere NATS is up for
sale, the government may be developing a defence plan, but it does
not want to support green energy before there’s some news on the
gambling front, and on the banks, and while the monarch’s head may
stay on the money in your pocket it may well be a different story
for your mail… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
10 December 2010: Student
fees top the headlines again as the government wins its vote and
mayhem breaks out on the streets, conveniently knocking the Lib
Dems off the front page, elsewhere the cuts at BAE see wide
coverage, there’s a float for FlyBe while Rolls-Royce plays down
the costs of its engine explosion, trains are not in service,
petrol prices are going through the roof, clean buses emit water
and three MPs finally pay for being cabs for hire…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
9 December 2010: The top
story is student fees as Lib-Dems MPs have to decide whether they
will honour their election pledge or prefer the ministerial car,
Cameron has a bad PMQs ahead of a series of government U-turns,
bankers bonuses are back, there are currency fears and costly
misprints, while Stagecoach gains from the cold which could be back
with a vengeance next week… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
7 December 2010: Beanz meanz strikes
as workers vote for action, elsewhere the agriculture minister is
taken to task as is Cadbury, De La Rue says non, a Ryanair pilot
says nyet, before its back to the Commons and Clegg’s fees crisis,
possibly goodbye to the Open University and maybe even adieu to the
euro… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
3 December 2010: The day starts with
the country under the weather in more than one way, before MPs’
expenses are once again under the spotlight. Fred the shred gets
away with everything, and the government sends mixed messages on
equality, Pepsi looks to Russia, and a couple of pubs are snapped
up while Nestle gets an appetite for Quorn. Cleaning firm Mitie is
rapped on the knuckles, while Smiths fan Cameron is forbidden to
listen… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 2
December 2010: A cold start to the digest, before anger boils
over, bankers are let off the hook and manufacturing is on the up.
Kraft starts a coffee charm offensive, Cameron signals a switch on
school sports cuts while Theresa May says nay to equal pay. Finally
some good news from a very green Vauxhall in Ellesmere Port…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 30
November 2010: The digest starts with
BA’s merger with Iberia overshadowed by another ballot that could
see strike action in January, elsewhere the government’s figures
are challenged, corporation tax could be cut, the euro’s still
shaky, Top Shop is targeted over tax, Kraft is challenged,
Cameron’s no longer green, and prince Andrew is charmless, but not
as much as the chief executive who claims he is worth more than his
£770,000 a year… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 29
November 2010: The digest starts with the mounting
coalition against the cuts in the UK and Ireland, there seem to be
targeted cuts at shipyards, while the tube network is frozen, rail
could be for sale, Punch plans to sell its pubs, Wikileaks
embarrasses Obama and Cameron, while the Lib Dems are under
pressure over fees and only want to tax bankers as a last resort,
Labour’s in a muddle over 50p rates, and are Britain’s schools
unsafe… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 25 November 2010:
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… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 24 November 2010:
Unite general secretary designate Len McCluskey meets the press at
today’s official announcement of the general secretary election
result, before it’s back to bail outs and cuts, its costly in the
country and there’s pain on the train to come, read on to find out
more… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 23
November 2010: Today’s digest starts with more on the Irish
bailout with Unite calling for an Irish election now ahead of a
major demonstration next week, while there’s more trouble for
Cameron from foreign climes, and back in the UK there’s more cuts
and a cancelled growth paper. Miliband’s starting to edge ahead in
the polls while Rolls-Royce has gained more engine orders, there’s
a new boss at BA, HP hots up and there’s a welcome boost to
Tyneside which could see 1,000 new jobs… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 22
November 2010: The digest starts with coverage of the
Unite general secretary election, before Ed Miliband’s back, more
cuts are trailed with school sports the target, there could be a
new right to buy, but tenants could get kicked out if they get a
pay rise, Nestle makes some changes that sees billions vanish from
its top line and Nissan is targeting dollars while Ireland gets
euros… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 19 November 2010:
They never change, it’s a case of same old Tories as Lord Young
reveals the true blue thinking on the recession, the government’s
accounts are opened up while more jobs are cut, but there is mixed
news in the City as Rolls-Royce’s troubles rumble on but GM’s float
roars off, before some plots and promotions among the Labour party
ranks, read on to find out more… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 16 November
2010: The digest starts with the latest on the
restrictions to legal aid and why it really is key to be in a union
before the latest company news sees more pressure for Rolls-Royce,
alarm at E.ON, CAT snaps up its prey and GM’s float is looking
good, Pepsi wants to go healthy, and Majestic is fizzing before its
back down to earth with a bang and more cuts for councils and cops
and even babies are bearing the brunt, and it may be about to get
worse if the evidence from Ireland is anything to go by…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 15 November
2010: The digest opens with a solemn focus, before
the economic contagion once again starts to take the headlines.
There’s worsening economic data, but Cameron wants to measure your
wellbeing before the axe is swung across the land, there’s more
positive news in the air, and a couple of deals go ahead, although
BHP goes sour, before MPs are once again taken to task over housing
and expenses… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 12 November
2010: The digest starts with the latest at BA,
while Rolls-Royce has isolated its engine trouble. After Boris
unveils his new bus, it’s back to demonstrations and cuts, Diageo
could be dropped, more Rok workers are sacked, this time by phone,
and there’s more trouble for twitterers, but a possible solution
for those that may go too far… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
News digest 11 November 2010:
Increased fees and lots of cuts top the agenda as the papers go
over the 50,000 strong demonstration against tuition fees while the
axe is taken to kids’ hospitals, jobs are cut at Rok, Pickles is in
a pickle over housing while thousands face mortgage misery. There’s
some more trouble for Rolls-Royce, and test flight on a Dreamliner
could have ended up a nightmare, Tata has some Nano trouble and a
nasty tweet shows the Conservative party’s true colours…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News
digest 10 November 2010: The digest starts
with more bad news for bank staff as 400 more jobs go, but the
investment arm of Barclays is preparing to award massive bonuses
despite making a loss and bosses are moaning about having to pay
taxes. Elsewhere there’s some good news for Rolls-Royce, Ryanair
goes for the lowest common denominator, there’s a massive fine for
the aviation cargo cartel, a jump in profits for JLR, Marks &
Spencer is looking at new shops and markets while the government’s
housing policy is attacked by one of its own members, Harman is
harangued over Woolas and Cameron has free rein to employ party
aides on the government payroll. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News
digest 9 November 2010: The digest starts with a
review of support to Twinings as an outrageous transfer gathers
pace, there’s less trouble for Rolls-Royce as shares bounce back
following an update on engine issues and even new orders for A380s
from Japan. Lord Hesketh is squeezed out over his defence gaffe,
while Trident costs rise again, teachers are being targeted by the
Con-Dems while financial support for adult education faces the axe,
Rok goes bust, the Royal Mail could be fattened up for sale while
in the world of politics Woolas keeps his seat for now and Cameron
adds more image consultants to the civil service payroll..
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 3
November 2010: There’s a payout for a bullied worker in the
houses of parliament, before the Tories try to take advantage of
the tube strike, more strikes announced on the buses, but talks at
Coke, before cuts come back on the agenda - free school meals for
the poorest hit this time – and some mixed results in the City
before some sad news from Licensees Unite… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
News digest 2
November 2010: Today’s digest starts on a solemn note
as Unite continues the campaign for rights for asbestos cancer
victims, before Ryanair’s profits soar, GM floats, and Serco even
says sorry… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest
1 November 2010: There’s a food
theme to the start of the digest with a potential strike threat for
lovers of tins of Heinz beanz, there’s more cuts news and Serco is
putting a squeeze on that even the government disagrees with,
before a bust up over control orders, more rises in air taxes,
Heathrow landing fees see a shake up, before bad news for graduates
mixed with rising vacancies, and then it’s back to confectionary as
international development secretary Mitchell could melt as the
chocfinger scandal starts to take centre
stage… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 29 October 2010:
The bust up over housing benefit leads the headlines while
there’s also trouble over child benefit, excess pay for executives,
pension problems and more jobs under threat, although as it’s the
weekend the digest ends with a giggle over government gifts…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 28
October 2010: The digest starts with food and drink
with action at Coke and Bakkavor over restructuring plans before
aviation takes over the headlines, with some good news at Heathrow,
a bulging pay packet for bosses while its pay cuts for the rest of
us, Miliband attacks Cameron’s housing plans, while Gove may have
been lax with government money and despite days of disputes over
pensions the French government backs union action…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 27
October 2010: The digest starts with the
latest economic figures, before cuts come back again, there’s a
decided transport feel with rail, roads and air all in the news,
before bad news for the wind energy sector, disputes fizz up at
Coke and the OUP, and plumbers get a pay increase…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest
26 October 2010: Today’s digest starts
with Cameron and Cable addressing the CBI, before there’s a shift
in public opinion over cuts, boardrooms may be reformed but banks
want to stay as they are, while it could be the end of the Royal
Mail, but its good news on the ports and for apprentices, before a
caution for a single tweet… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest
22 October 2010: The fightback against the
cuts starts as the government is accused of penalising the weakest
and the worst off, even more jobs may be on the line, and there’s
pressures on pensions. A callous closure from Coca-Cola is followed
by cuts at Nokia and a recall by Toyota. Boris racks up fares again
while some peers are suspended and there is an admission that MPs
are actually making things up… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 21
October 2010: The cuts continue to dominate the
headlines, and Unite joint general secretary is to tour the country
to hear how the cuts will impact on Unite’s 1.5 million members,
elsewhere there’s good news in aviation with movement on the BA
dispute, rising orders for Airbus and rising profits for airlines,
but there are fears in the defence sector, a cancelled clean coal
plant and a sacking over safety in the transport sector…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 20 October
2010: Cuts dominate the headlines,
thousands rallied in Westminster yesterday ahead of the
comprehensive spending review which heralds billions in cuts and
hundreds of thousands of job losses and the strategic defence
review acts as a trail for what will happen. Elsewhere there’s some
good news on agency workers legislation, action by Alstom and a
warning from Siemens, while Morrisons gets educational.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 18 October
2010: Today’s top story concerns the
cuts, there’s going to be a lot of them and all papers trail
Wednesday’s comprehensive spending review, elsewhere there’s a
possible equitable settlement, bids for the Chunnel even as
Eurostar comes to a halt and more dodgy politicians…
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 15 October
2010: The digest starts with good news for UK
manufacturing as a deal is secured at Jaguar Land Rover and there’s
agreement at Tunnock’s too although London bus workers are still
out on strike. There’s the cull of the quangos, while the US has
concerns about UK defence cuts and the government has gold plated
pensions in its sights before it’s on to boardroom battles in the
pub industry and some interesting news on why plane food is plain.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 13 October 2010:
There’s a call to back legitimate strike action and a claim for
local government workers before the cuts agenda starts to bite once
again. After a litany of closures there’s some good news for
anti-fans of Ryanair and some jobs on the high street, albeit
probably just for xmas… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 12 October
2010: Cuts at HP are covered across the
papers, while Top Shop boss Philip Green looks at what to chop,
it’s bad news for students who could see fees soar, there’s more
exits at Cadbury, but Vauxhall benefits from a u-turn by BSM and a
couple of new ships are launched before Stelios secures a deal that
should see him happily fly off into the sunset… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 11
October 2010: Aviation is back on the agenda with good
progress at BA, an attack on tax and threats from Ryanair. There’s
a good deal at Network Rail, a car without a driver and GM Luton is
backed. Unfortunately the latest equality reports shows there still
much more to do, and forthcoming cuts could make inequality worse
and changes in education and health may not help either especially
as there’s another forecast of a double dip for the UK next year.
Ed Miliband will outline his economic plans later this week, but
for now he has finalised his shadow team, read on to see who’s the
new communities minister… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 8 October
2010: The day starts with action on the
buses in Hackney as bus workers demand an end to the race to the
bottom on wages, there’s mixed messages about air carriers, a
threat to green jobs, a fall in house prices and Tories on the
warpath against children while Ed’s getting ready to announce his
shadow cabinet after Yvette Cooper topped the poll.
(posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 7 October
2010: Cameron’s underwhelming speech leads the day's
news, while the Hutton report into pensions is trailed in a few
papers, there’s more danger for the NHS, a warning about
restricting strike action form Acas, before a round up of good and
bad aviation news, new routes for Eurostar, a bit of a stink on the
ferries and a surge for some supermarkets… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
News digest 6 October
2010: The Tory conference is facing a tax
backlash as cuts come home to roost, public sector pensions are
next in the firing line, and there could be privatisation by the
back door in the NHS. Elsewhere Tesco turns a top profit and
there’s more strike action at Coke and Tunnock’s biscuits. On the
transport front BA has a business passenger boost, and a new MG is
on the way, but Aston Martin’s assets are sold off before there’s
change on the steel and minerals front… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest: 5 October
2010: Osborne’s benefits gamble leads the
headlines and most coverage veers towards the negative, health
sector reform is slammed before there’s a major safety win for
Unite at Network Rail. There’s bad news for GM workers in Belgium,
ahead of a raft of job cuts, at least Gatwick could be expanding
and Kraft’s chief executive may finally visit Cadbury, well it’s
only owned the company for nine months… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 4 October
2010: The main news is the Conservative party
conference in Birmingham. The start of the week sees thousands
demonstrate against the cuts, but inside the conference hall the
Tories continue to back the call for cuts, then there’s more
support for banks, quorn’s up for sale and some good news on the
roads for British marques, and maybe even for Airbus from
Ryanair… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 1 October
2010: Don’t forget to ask where your tips go, one year
down the line it still seems they end up in management’s pockets.
Elsewhere there’s some good news on the equalities front as the
Equalities Act comes into force and there’s an increase in the
minimum wage, but then there’s more cuts announcements, before the
car sector comes into focus with some good news for Vauxhall
workers but also some bad with the possible exit of Lotus, there’s
a couple more board room changes, before what could be major
changes in the classroom for Surrey’s schoolchildren…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 29
September 2010: The top story
remains the Labour party with Ed’s introduction to the nation. As
the general public get to see more of the new leader his older
brother David cracks in the background, and may soon be gone.
Strike action at Tunnock’s is all it is cracked up to be, there’s a
new chief for Network Rail, soaring air fares, and mixed news on
jobs before the spectre of the double-dip starts to take shape…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 28
September 2010: The Labour party conference dominates
the headlines with the leader’s speech today and speculation over
the future of the elder Miliband, elsewhere Tony Woodley’s address
on the impact of cuts strikes a personal note, before an avalanche
of cuts are signalled, it’s Tata to Corus and welcome to the new
BA/Iberia board before some good news on pensions for workers at
Birmingham airport, while the Telegraph’s top 100 most influential
left-wingers releases numbers 51-75… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 27 September
2010: The top news story across all the
papers is Ed Miliband’s election as Labour leader, and it’s also
good news for Unite’s Diana Holland who beats Prescott to become
Labour’s new treasurer, while fat cat pay offs arise at HSBC.
There’s more private equity buyouts, a Chinese flavour to the food
sector, and free Budweiser beer before you buckle down to a film on
the fight for pay equality at Ford Dagenham. Read on for today’s
news… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
Labour party
conference 2010 - picture gallery: See the latest
pictures from the Labour party conference (posted by Chris
Bishton - 27 September 2010)
News digest 24 September
2010: The digest starts off with strike action in
Scotland, followed by Unite’s call to fight the cuts ahead of the
Labour party conference. Elsewhere there is more detail on the
Con-Dem axe, some bad news for Bentley, but better times for the
rest of the car sector and possibly for cabbies who may no longer
have to excuse their French. Finally after Ken’s selection as
Labour’s London mayoral candidate the countdown for Labour leader
is almost there. (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 22 September
2010: It’s a gastronomic start to the digest
as workers at coke in Edmonton take to the picket line this
afternoon as they fight for a fair share of the company’s profits,
workers at biscuit maker Tunnock’s could follow suit. Then it is
back to bankers with threats to business, Birmingham could be about
to sell its crown jewels and London will be left for the rich if
housing benefit cuts bite. There is some good news as aviation is
set to soar, truck sales are up and the electric Mini motors on,
but back down to earth as Unite challenges the cuts agenda at the
Lib Dem conference. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 21 September
2010: The day starts with the news that the Lloyds
chief is off, the other main news is Clegg’s speech to conference
where he pleads for his party to hold on, in the world of business
there’s a tripling of Walsh’s bonus, a bit too much smoke for
easyJet and possible acquisitions for Flybe. On the ground there’s
the chance for some green and free bus miles, a film on the Ford
sewing machinists, but not so good for those in the energy sector
as there’s trouble blowing in the wind… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 20 September
2010: What is it about aviation and
courts? There’s wall to wall (or should that be cloud to cloud)
coverage of Unite’s announcement that it is being forced to take
legal action after another airline has gone back on its
commitments, the banks are up to their old tricks again and
trouble’s brewing at the Lib-Dem conference as Unite leads the call
for a better way of dealing with the deficit… (posted
by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 14 September
2010: The TUC in Manchester leads most of the news
pages as the Con-Dem coalition starts to lose the argument as the
reality of the coming cuts starts to bite. Elsewhere there’s some
detail on defence, on the third anniversary of the start of the
financial crisis there’s a challenge for the casino capitalists,
some not very diplomatic discrimination and more trouble for
Coulson… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 13 September 2010:
It’s all up to Manchester as the 142nd TUC Congress gets
going with a call for a coalition against the cuts agenda, yet more
intimidation at BA, Britain’s biggest wind farm prepares to open,
while law firms may close, and there’s possibly trouble for the tax
chief too… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 10 September
2010: The cuts at BAE show how hollow the Con-Dem
government’s hopes are for jobs growth in the private sector as
Woodley calls for an alternative economic agenda. There are more
benefit cuts planned and gloom in housing could herald more
homelessness, the Royal Mail may be put up for sale, the hacking
scandal leads to a new inquiry, Miliband major is in a mood and
there’s odds on irate union leaders, all this and more in today’s
round up… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 9
September 2010: The main splash in the papers today is
the BP report into the oil disaster where it tries to spread the
blame, while the Guardian has news of union busters getting
involved in a Unite campaign to gain recognition, staff ballot
today. In other news the Coke strike is canned, there are concerns
about empty high streets, while O’Leary’s ideas get ever more
bizarre and there’s also an interview with Walsh. The Sun starts on
“Red Ed” Miliband’s union backing while the Coulson phone tapping
affair is still across most papers… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 7 September
2010: There’s wide coverage of the BA meeting
yesterday, good news for other airlines is counteracted by bad
safety practice on the rails and cuts to subsidies on the buses,
made all the worse by a slump in car sales. Barclays appoints a
‘casino capitalist’ but also creates some jobs in Scotland while
back in Westminster the first step on the AV referendum is passed,
but the Coulson affair rattles on, there’s also bad news for the
Lib-Dems and the latest in the Labour leadership…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 6
September 2010: BA comes back onto the agenda as
crew meet to discuss the latest developments in the dispute and
share stories of intimidation and bullying, there’s more trouble
for the Tories over phone tapping, a threatened rebellion over AV
and only a few ‘free schools’ before some rare good news on jobs in
the banking sector, plus Blair finally attacks the Con-Dem
coalition and there’s the latest moves in the Labour leadership
campaign… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 3 September
2010: The ‘horror’ story of continued jobs cuts in the
banking sector features across most papers as they report on the
latest 3,500 job cuts and the fall out in the public sector looks
likely to hit the most vulnerable. There’s more trouble for the
Tories, while the Labour leadership campaign hits the final
straight. And there are fears of food shortages, less alcohol being
drunk, but a number of companies have been bought, before an
explosion in the USand a warning for British business about anti
union activities… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 2
September 2010: Blair’s book continues to dominate the
headlines, although rumours about Hague also feature highly, and
Gove’s academies don’t really get off the ground. Back in the City
there’s tough talk of tax avoidance from the IMF, while Darling
moans about his supertax, yet more cuts face ordinary bank workers
and there could be some trouble for Tesco across the pond, while
the cost of a chop is on the rise… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 1 September
2010: BA is back on the agenda with two more
disciplinaries over the weekend, while Coke could be about to go
pop, Tomkins is taken over and Candover calls it a day, otherwise
Blair looks back while the Labour leadership contenders aim
forward… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 27 August
2010: It’s a political start to the digest as there’s
more on the Labour leadership and questions over cash for access to
the Conservatives. There’s a bit of trouble in the transport
sector, but some good news in the air before cuts come back on the
agenda even as many companies are reporting good rises in profits.
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 26 August 2010: The
Labour leadership election is moving into the final strait as Unite
calls on all members to vote for Ed Miliband, the row over the
budget rumbles on, there’s more job losses in the banking sector,
but top profits in the City and a new Jaguar to contend with, plus
all bets are on with Paddy Power… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 25 August
2010: It’s back on the cuts agenda today as a
study shows the emergency budget will hit the poorest hardest, the
government is trying to force more legislation through on
redundancy and there’s a challenge on changes to the NHS. News of
strikes on the roads and rail could lead to a Tory charm offensive,
well that’s only half right, elsewhere there’s a challenge to
Capita, Mars is on the attack and the chips are down, before a new
Conservative arrival and some more sibling rivalry in the Labour
leadership campaign. (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 16 August
2010: Today’s digest sees the latest on
the BAA talks, some bad news for private equity, but some good news
for more traditional industry. However for ordinary people there’s
inflationary and housing pressures on the horizon, and with the
latest collaborator it seems like an apt time for Clegg to be in
charge… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 13 August 2010:
The BAA dispute over pay dominates the headlines today
with most papers reporting on the threat of strike action, although
no dates have been announced. There’s a few more departures from
boardrooms and more shake ups in the oil sector, a cheer for InBev,
the latest on the Labour leadership and the deaths of two
campaigners… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 12 August
2010: Most papers report on the choppy future for the
UK economy and the feeling of gloom that is descending as fears of
a double dip rise, there are more cuts aimed at children, another
BA steward has been suspended, as has the Sheffield Supertram
strike, and there’s good news from Corus, profits up for Nestle but
not all is well as more cloned meat rears its head…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 11 August
2010: A return to profit at Jaguar could be hit by
some production line problems, and in other transport news BAA
reports rising passenger traffic. There’s also a financial feel to
the day as Unite challenges imposed changes for branch managers at
HSBC, before growth forecasts are revised down, unemployment dips
and a fish fight may be about to break out… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
News digest 10 August
2010: Today’s digest highlights
Huhne’s conversion to nuclear power, more trouble in Clegg’s
backyard, some concerns on the high street, before bounty hunters
are set loose on benefit claimants. All this is mixed with a drop
in bank lending combined with bad forecasts from the Bank of
England, and be careful what you say online… (posted by
Mik Sabiers)
News digest 9 August
2010: It’s a challenge to focus on what matters as the
cuts start to bite, the jobs market goes into reverse, milk is
snatched and returned, energy problems could be stored up, or
dodgy, but at least Clint backs the UK Film Council. Read on for
today’s news... (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 6 August
2010: Tony Woodley warns of the dangers of a double
dip recession, there are lessons for Gove and Cameron should be
sent back to school out in industry easyJet’s flying high but
there’s a reverse in car sales, while wheat prices hit the
headlines and Kraft squeezes Cadbury, before its back to
industry and an eerie silence may hit the Albert Hall, read on to
find out more… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 5 August
2010: Cameron’s thoughts on council housing start off
today’s digest, before there’s more on bank profits, good news for
Ryanair, not so good for BA, while Renault issues a recall.
Pensions are under threat at Premier Foods, and it looks like the
economy may be moving towards a double dip recession , but there’s
some good news on the international front with a strong fight for
pay and justice from Bangladeshi garment workers and the news that
the Miami 5’s Gerardo Hernandez is out of his punishment cell and
back on the normal prison ward… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 4 August
2010: Banks and Billingsgate top the agenda, before
its on to more good results for industry, a new finance chief for
M&S and a possible check on the supermarkets over bullying
suppliers… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 3 August
2010: Today’s digest starts off with the
launch of a new Unite campaign at Billingsgate market as porters
fight to protect their place, the TUC conference’s draft agenda is
published, HSBC is happy, while BP and BA have less to shout about
before it may be time to check what’s on your table as more mutant
milk may be out there… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 2 August
2010: It’s a bit of a mixed day as oil companies are
challenged in what could result in a walk out of 3,000 workers,
while in the power industry there’s a distinct lack of apprentices.
Bonuses are back in the City, and there’ll be some new casinos in
the north, while down south you may need to be careful what you
drink… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 30
July 2010: It’s another bad day for BA as the company
announces its latest losses, although talks could be back on next
week, the battle between the MoD and the treasury over Trident
continues as defence companies report mixed results while there’s a
threat of further jobs cuts, Unite challenges the ‘big society’ and
there’s a question of whether you can trust the words of a
politician… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 29 July
2010: The day starts with some
confusion over pensions, before there are more job cuts in
Birmingham. Then with British Gas coining it in it’s also a day for
bankers. There are mixed company results in aviation and an
interesting innovation in taxi transport, read on to find out more…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 28 July 2010:
Con-Dem government plans to cut back on support for workers start
today’s round up, before the finance sector sees a boost even as
there are some fines, there’s more on the BP losses, but Vodafone
bosses are ok, and O’Leary is a bit richer as the turbulence at
easyJet continues. Otherwise green technologies on cars and houses
are highlighted, but there could be a housing crisis on the way.
And to end all things history is not totally repeating itself as
there’s a twist in Tolpuddle in a dispute over pay…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 27 July
2010: It starts off in the skies as Unite takes BA to
court over the removal of staff travel concessions and easyJet is
also suffering from staff troubles. The boss of BP could be off to
the gulag while a flurry of government announcements could see
citizens on patrol, private education and private hospitals. The
cuts to quangos are also coming into play and the Olympics could
even be hit, plus there’s more on the Labour leadership Milibattle…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 26 July
2010: Today leads with Unite’s challenge to Ford over
the Visteon pensions, the boss of BP is saying goodbye while wind
energy is being talked up, although that may be a lot of hot air as
there is supposedly a £10 billion funding gap. Consumer confidence
is falling, housing starts are dipping too, and there’s an exodus
at Cadbury. Finally as Gordon surfaces there are some more moves on
the Labour leadership… (posted by Mik
Sabiers)
News digest 23 July
2010: It’s a packed Friday round-up, the
ballot at BAA takes off as a new airport is announced, BA’s back in
court, while a jump in car production is countered by some car
trouble on the shop floor. The takeover trail is continuing with
more UK companies being eyed up, but government cuts are starting
to have a real impact as the AWB is abolished and regional bodies
go… (posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 22 July
2010: It’s a mixture of economic and
government woes to start as the MPC forecast gloom, there’s Clegg’s
clangers at the dispatch box, and Cameron adds one of his own
before more sales at Farnborough close a good week, but there are
takeovers and some shareholder unrest in the City…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 21 July
2010: The BA ballot result heads up the
stories as there is good and bad news in the air and on the ground.
The danger of a double-dip is coming closer and a number of
companies are seeing pressures from BP to Cable & Wireless and
De La Rue, and while Cameron is no longer going to the TUC the
Telegraph says the winner of the Labour leadership could be prime
minister in a year as Unison names its preferred candidate…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
News digest 20 July
2010: It’s all a bit doom and gloom as Cameron’s ‘Big
Society’ crumbles amidst cuts to schools, roads, savings and more.
UK plc seems to be being sold off piece by piece as another UK
engineering giant is circled by a Canadian consortium, but at least
there is some good news from Corus and the skies are filled with
orders. The BA ballot result is also due later today…
(posted by Mik Sabiers)
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