Reform Media Summary

4 April 2008

Economy

Coverage of criticism of two Government tax policies by a Minister and a PPS. Gerry Sutcliffe, the Licensing Minister, said that the drinks industry was “right to be upset” about the Budget`s increases in duty. Nia Griffiths said that the abolition of the 10p tax rate “did not look good” to voters (Times, p.8; FT, p.2, p.2, p.2; Independent, p.20; Sun, p.2, p.8 [leader]; Mirror, p.8 [leader]; Express, p.10; Telegraph, p.2; Guardian, p.2; Mail, p.2).

Latest Bank of England survey of the credit market is interpreted as increasing the likelihood of a rate cut next week. Coverage of increasing mortgage costs and the International Monetary Fund’s warning that houses are overpriced (Times, p.2; Independent, p.48; FT, p.1, p.3; Economist, p.38; Sun, p.2; Telegraph, p.1, B.3, p.14, B.7; Guardian, p.25, p.34 [leader]; Mail, p.6).

Peter Riddell on newly tight public sector finances: “The public sector is in for a long and painful adjustment” (Times, p.30).

A new survey by Axa, an insurance company, concludes that some 20 per cent of Britain’s middle-classes are cutting their pension contributions as they struggle to pay today’s household bills (Express, p.21).

A flood of last-minute share sales and transfers took place yesterday, before the end of the tax year and the new Capital Gains Tax rate comes into effect (FT, p.2).

Health

A White Paper released yesterday by Ben Bradshaw, the Health Minister, set out plans for a larger role for pharmacists in the NHS (Telegraph, p.6; Guardian, p.10).

In the New Statesman, Peter Wilby discusses the impact of choice on the service provided by the NHS and people’s perceptions of the service. “Ministers”, he said, “assume choice is self-evidently good …. Whether choice will give [patients] the service they want is another matter” (New Statesman, p.16).

The Telegraph reports that the number of people claiming benefits because of alcoholism and drug abuse has more than doubled in 10 years to over 100,000 claimants (Telegraph, p.2; Mail, p.20).

Education

More than 1,000 inspectors and administrative staff employed by Ofsted are being balloted on strike action over below-inflation public sector pay deals (Independent, p.14; TES, p.1, p.6).

Further coverage of Ed Balls’, the schools secretary, decision to “name and shame” 96 schools he said were guilty of flouting the Government’s new admission rules (Telegraph, p.12; Mail, p.8, p.14 [leader], TES, p.8).

The National Union of Students has abandoned its campaign to abolish tuition fees (Guardian, p.14).

Home affairs

Further coverage of the imminent government decision over the classification of cannabis (Times, p.12, p.13 [Nigel Hawkes]; Sun, p.8 [leader]; Independent, p.19; Telegraph, p.12, p.26 [Paul Corry]; Guardian, p.13, p.34 [leader]; Mail, p.10, p.11, p.14 [leader]; Mirror, p.8 [leader], p.17; Express, p.27).

Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General, supported plans outlined by the Government yesterday that mean that fraudsters will be eligible for lower sentences if they admit their crimes (Telegraph, p.10).

Politics

Writing in the Times in advance of the Progressive Governance conference, David Miliband sets out a strongly reforming prospectus, including vouchers, public service diversity and devolution. In a leader, the paper writes: “The Centre Left must reaffirm the recent faith rather than slither back towards protectionism championed by the State at home and introspection combined with isolationism abroad” (Times, p.16 [leader], p.19 [David Miliband]).

The expenses of 20 MPs will be published today (Independent, p.20, p.43 [Joan Bakewell]; Sun, p.2; Mirror, p.21; Express, p.6; Telegraph, p.1; Guardian, p.7).