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PCS news digest 27 January

27 January 2012

This weekly news digest is a summary of news, campaign articles, media releases and reports from the past week

27 January

Dead in custody – Morning Star

The deaths in custody of two teenagers in the space of a week reignited calls for an urgent public inquiry into the jailing of minors, reported the Morning Star.

Union fury at bumper bonus of almost £1 million for RBS boss – Daily Mirror

The Daily Mirror reported that Royal Bank of Scotland faced a furious backlash over plans to hand boss Stephen Hester almost £1 million in bonuses.

26 January

Tragedy could lead to hope for Clyde coastguard future – Lennox Herald

The Lennox Herald reported that an axed life-saving coastguard team, which patrols West Dunbartonshire and Helensburgh, could be given a reprieve following the recent cruise liner tragedy.

Unemployment benefit map shows party political divide – the Guardian

Twelve of the 15 seats with highest percentage of claimants are held by Labour, while lowest claimant areas are mostly Tory or Lib Dem seats, reported the Guardian.

25 January

More tax offices to close as economy slumps – PCS website

The closure of more tax offices announced by HM Revenue and Customs will further damage our slumping economy, warned PCS.

“Austerity holds back economy,” says TUC

The Union-News website reported that GDP per person is likely to fall in 2012 and will not return to pre-recession levels until 2016, the TUC says today, ahead of the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) first estimate of economic growth in the last quarter of 2011.

24 January

Disgraced Tory MPs use flawed research to attack union reps – PCS website

Disgraced right-wing MPs have been exposed as using flawed research to launch an ideological attack on trade union representatives, according to new analysis by the TUC.

Outsourcing windfall fails to materialise as doubts grow – Financial Times

There are signs of growing scepticism in local and central government over the potential for savings, reported the Financial Times (subscription required).

23 January

Welfare cuts: now they're slamming the door on the truly desperate – the Guardian

After a dismal day in the Lords comes the cruellest cut to the welfare state, in which emergency loans go over to 'local' control, reported Polly Toynbee in the Guardian.

Families will have to leave their homes – Morning Star

Prime minister David Cameron has conceded that families will be forced out of their homes under harsh government plans to cap housing benefit, reported the Morning Star.

22 January

Charity slams Cameron’s work training programme – Observer

David Cameron’s Work Programme, the training scheme the prime minister claims will tackle the country’s unemployment problems, is facing a crisis after charities involved warned ministers they may pull out over concerns of “profiteering” by private firms, reported the Observer.

Billions lost in tax dodge – Sunday Times

More than £100 billion of property in central London has been placed offshore beyond the reach of the taxman, costing the nation billions in lost revenue, reported the Sunday Times (subscription required)

21 January

Government cuts maps show north-south divide – Daily Post

The Daily Post in Liverpool reported that a heat map of the cuts shows how the way government’s cuts are hitting people across England.

Woolworths - £68 million pay out – Daily Mirror

Former Woolworths employees have been awarded up to £67.8 million in compensation, the shopworkers’ union Usdaw said.