Press Review

Recession risk as outlook worsens

Several of the papers lead with stories of economic gloom, with the Times concluding that "recession loomed larger over Britain" yesterday.

Persimmon became the latest housebuilder to significantly cut its staff, while mortgage lender Bradford and Bingley saw it shares tumble.

The front page of the Mail says that under pressure from the Financial Services Authority, Britain's six biggest banks had to stage "a dramatic rescue" of the buy-to-let lender.

Meanwhile Gordon Brown insisted yesterday he was the right man to steer Britain through troubled economic times.

And the prime minister stressed that the UK economy was still growing, despite a British Chambers of Commerce survey predicting recession.

Curran vs Curran in Glasgow East

The Times reports that Labour's plans for the Glasgow East by-election may have hit a further problem, because two candidates share the same name.

Labour's Margaret Curran faces a challenge from Scottish Socialists candidate Frances Curran, who is likely to appear at the top of the ballot paper.

The Guardian notes that Labour's Curran launched her campaign yesterday from a soap box, declaring that the "Labour fightback starts right here, right now".

The paper also reports on tomorrow's by-election in Haltemprice and Howden, noting that David Davis' message over 42-day detention is "gradually getting through".

Ex-MI5 chief hits out at 42-day plan

The former head of MI5 yesterday became the latest high-profile figure to criticise the government's plan to hold suspected terrorists without charge for up to 42 days, in what the Guardian calls a "big setback" for the government.

As peers on all sides of the House of Lords rounded on the plan, contained in the Counter-Terrorism Bill, Lady Manningham Buller "tore into" the proposal.

"I don't see a practical basis, as well as a principled one, that these proposals are in any way workable," she said.

The Guardian's sketchwriter, Simon Hoggart, concludes: "All totally agin it. Gordo must be feeling very grim."

PM helps secure Mugabe sanctions

The Guardian reports that Gordon Brown yesterday used "shock tactics" to shame the G8 into tough sanctions against Zimbabwe.

A picture of the mutilated body of an opponent of Robert Mugabe's regime was shown to the world leaders by the prime minister.

The summit backed financial and other sanctions against individuals responsible for violence in Zimbabwe, and supported sending a UN special envoy to Harare.

Community sentence plan criticised

The Sentencing Advisory Panel's recommendation that criminals who receive a jail sentence of less than 12 months should instead be given community service has been criticised by opposition MPs.

Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the public had "little confidence in weak community sentences", while Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne spoke against "short-term panic measures".

Meanwhile, the government published figures yesterday relating to stop and searches, showing the amount of forms relating to the measures have risen by a third in the past year.

Row over peer's 'nigger in woodpile' remark

A Conservative frontbencher caused controversy when he used an outdated remark during a Lords debate.

Lord Dixon-Smith, the Tory spokesman for communities and local government, referred to concerns about government housing legislation as the "nigger in the woodpile".

He apologised after another Tory peer intervened, but the remark was described by Labour MP Keith Vaz as "deeply offensive".

PM must 'put pressure on Russia'

The Conservatives have urged Gordon Brown to take a tougher stance towards Russia as it pursues an increasingly aggressive foreign policy.

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said: "We all want to see improved relations with Russia but we cannot overlook the Litvenenko murder, the 9bn rearmament programme or the attempted annexation of large tracts of the Arctic."

Tories plan vouchers for recycling

The Conservatives are to outline plans to reward households for recycling waste with vouchers worth up to £360 a year.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne will set out the proposal, based on a US scheme, and will say the government's approach is "old-fashioned" and over-dependent on fines.

Backbenchers lead abortion fight

The Independent reports that a number of Labour MPs are to support amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to make it easier to obtain an abortion more quickly.

A cross-party campaign in support of changes to the Bill, which returns to the Commons next week, is headed by Labour's Frank Dobson, Liberal Democrat Evan Harris and Conservative John Bercow.

MPs question voluntary sector role

The voluntary sector's provision of public services may not represent best practice, a committee of MPs has said.

According to the Commons public administration committee, the government's "central claim" that voluntary or not-for-profit organisations deliver improved services cannot be corroborated.

Treasury rapped over Equitable Life

The parliamentary ombudsman is to publish a damning report into the failings of government regulators in the case of the near-collapse of Equitable Life, the Telegraph reports.

Ann Abraham will next week rebuke the Treasury for its failure in keeping the insurer "in check" the paper says, when in 2000 more than a million customers lost as much as half of their savings and pensions.

Brown backs greener vehicles

The Mail is sceptical about the prime minister's wish to see all new cars in Britain either electric or hybrid by 2020, saying: "Why Brown thinks we should be all be happy that fuel costs are sky-high."

Gordon Brown said on Tuesday that he wants motorists to pass 'green driving tests', so that fuel efficiency techniques are reinforced.

Johnson scraps £25 C-charge

Boris Johnson yesterday abandoned plans to impose a £25 congestion charge on gas guzzling cars.

London's mayor said he was "delighted" with the move, which follows a legal bid by luxury car company Porsche. London taxpayers will have to pay the firm hundreds of thousands of pounds in costs.

Cameron to pursue morality agenda

The Mail reports that David Cameron's "call for a new morality" will form the central plank of Conservative strategy this summer.

"The Tory leader delighted traditionalists with his landmark statement in favour of taking a clearer stand on right and wrong," it says.

Games sector tax break rethink

The government will re-examine its stance on tax breaks for computer game developers, the creative industries minister has said.

Margaret Hodge told a games industry seminar in Westminster that she wanted the UK industry to compete with rivals from France and Canada.

DPP warns over anonymity changes

The director of public prosecutions Ken Macdonald yesterday warned MPs and peers that prosecutions are at risk of not going ahead even if fast-track plans to allow witnesses anonymity in court are approved.

The emergency legislation going through Parliament defines when anonymity can be granted, and may lead to some prosecutions not being able to proceed as before.

Harman 'in secret bid to become PM'

The Sun is the latest paper to report that Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman is "secretly campaigning" to become prime minister if Gordon Brown is forced out of office.

Heathrow go-ahead put back

Approval for a third runway at Heathrow has been delayed until the end of the year due to shortcomings in the public consultation, transport secretary Ruth Kelly announced yesterday.

"We want to be sure, given the socio-demographic mix in the Heathrow area, that we fully understand how airport development might affect different groups in terms of race, disability, age or gender," Kelly said.