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29 ottobre BBC suspends Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross after Sachs stuntposted by Laura Snook, head of news. Last updated: 11am, Thursday October 30
What's happening:
The BBC has suspended Radio 2 presenters Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand* for leaving crude messages on the answer phone of 78-year-old actor Andrew Sachs, who played Manuel in Fawlty Towers. The stunt has, so far, prompted more than 18,000 complaints from BBC licence payers.
* A few hours after I posted this on Wednesday afternoon, Brand resigned. Today, Thursday, BBC chiefs will meet to discuss 'Manuelgate'.
What people are saying: The presenters joked on air that Brand had slept with Sachs’ 23-year-old granddaughter, Georgina Baillie, and said the actor might kill himself after hearing their messages. Baillie, who has admitted she was Brand’s lover in the past, said in an interview with The Sun: “What’s funny about humiliating a lovely old man who has never harmed anyone in his life?” The public outcry also prompted Prime Minister Gordon Brown to respond, calling the pair’s behaviour “inappropriate and unacceptable.”
Why we should give a damn:
“It seems that things go too far on TV and radio, so I would certainly say that something needs to be done before the world goes to the dogs,” Sachs himself has said in media interviews about the controversy – a view shared by Conservative culture spokesman, Jeremy Hunt, who said the incident “could encourage anti-social behaviour.” The Guardian’s Laurence Howarth counters, arguing that not everyone who complains actually knows what they’re talking about. What do you make of the row?
24 ottobre We now have TWO homes on Twitter!by Laura Snook, head of news
Want more ways to engage with MSN UK News? Now you can follow us in TWO places on Twitter! For the latest headlines, follow MSNUKNews. For my personal news commentary, follow LauraJSnook. Chase me. You know you want to... 22 ottobre Could Osborne topple the new Tories?by Laura Snook, head of news
What’s happening:
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne – the third most powerful Tory in the country – stands accused of soliciting illegal donations from one of Russia’s richest men during a ‘private party’, with Peter Mandelson, aboard the oligarch’s yacht.
What people are saying:
The allegation was made by wealthy fund manager Nathaniel Rothschild, whose mansion Osborne was staying in at the time. Rothschild says his former Bullingdon Club chum, along with the Conservatives’ fundraiser, conspired to solicit cash from the oligarch – a move banned by British law because the ‘donor’ is a foreign citizen. Osborne has denied any impropriety: “I want to make it absolutely clear that we neither asked for money nor did we receive money,” he told reporters outside Conservative party headquarters in London, although another witness has since been named.
Why we should give a damn:
At a time when David Cameron’s new Tories are trying to reposition themselves as the party of the people, images of ministers rubbing shoulders with billionaires on superyachts – coupled with reminders of their elitist upbringing – threaten to undermine the Conservatives’ claims that they’re in touch with the common people, warns The Times’ Alice Miles. Not so, counters the Guardian’s Tim Montgomerie, who insists the hype is indicative of nothing more than Labour’s hatred of Osborne.
Who do you believe? P.S. Are you following us on Twitter yet?
17 ottobre Follow MSN UK News on Twitterby Laura Snook, head of news
This Just In: MSN UK News has joined the illustrious ranks of Twitter, enabling us to bring you breaking news faster than ever before and giving you a chance to keep a closer eye on us. We're new to this, so any hints and tips on Twitter Etiquette you'd care to share would be most gratefully received! In the meantime, sign up to follow us and we'll do the same for you. Welcome to our brave new world... <tweet, tweet>
08 ottobre Gordon Brown in prime minister's questions: LIVEPosted by Laura Snook, senior news editor
1:02pm: And that's PMQs effectively over, although the wrangling over how to stabilise the financial system could go on for hours/years. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but a noteworthy sense of cross-party unity. How long that unity will survive is anyone's guess. Were you convinced? Are the measures they've outlined today going to be enough? Let me know what you think... 1pm: Times are "difficult and different", requiring a change in approach - Vince Cable again. Repossession should be a last resort in the courts - the legal system needs to be overhauled, he says. Darling concurs - smiles all round. One of the MPs just behind Darling is stroking his own thigh... 12:58pm: Is it over? No one seems sure. Half the house is already walking out, but Labour's Stuart Bell is still talking. Darling again: international cooperation and guaranteed lending = the way forward. Vinca Cable's out of his seat: "How is the conditionality for the banks to be enforced and monitored? How will the Chancellor ensure that the taxpayers' money that goes into banks will come out the other end?" 12:54pm: Getting information out of Iceland is very difficult, says Darling, which is why the government has frozen the banks' assets. "Now, it's essential that - if a country sees problems within its own borders - it needs to report them to other countries as well." The BoE should have a statutory role in overseeing financial stability, he says - and he's glad everyone agrees. And he's grateful for the Tories' 'interventionism'. Raised eyebrows from Cameron and Osbourne... 12:50pm: George Osbourne's question has gone on for so long, he's lost me completely... 12:45pm: No depositors will lose money as a result of the Icelandic banks being liquidised, Darling says. George Osborne now: "the test of success of this rescue will be if credit starts to flow again." 12:40pm: Move over, it's Alistair Darling: he wants to stabilise the financial system, safeguard taxpayers' investments and help solve the global financial crisis. Here's how: the Bank of England will ensure it has enough cash to stabilise the system, in addition to the £50bn it put in yesterday; the banking system's resilience against global turmoil will be improved through a bank recapitalisation fund; and it will be made easier and cheaper for banks to secure short-term loans. 12:35pm: Brown won't be drawn on whether Britain's economy will "definitely shrink" next year, regardless of what the IMF says in its forecast. Interest rates are being cut by 0.5% to 4.5%, by the way - the BoE announced it half an hour ago. 12:30pm: Christine McCafferty: can the PM guarantee there will be no involuntary redundancies when Lloyds TSB take over HBOS? The PM will stand by people trying to save their jobs, Brown says. For once, everybody is agreeing about irresponsibility in the financial sector. And Gordon's smiling. "Let's deal once and for all with the problem of excessive and irresponsible risk-taking." Bzzt! Repetition. 12:28pm: And so much for that. Banks have responded to their difficulties by making life more difficult for small enterprise - we need to fix this, Brown says, but the details are still being worked out. The IMF Forecast is out today - will the PM revise his spending plans on the back of it? "I've never done that!" 12:25pm: On to peace, now, and the pursuit thereof: we need a new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, says one backbencher I don't recognise. Tom tells me it was Paul Flynn (Lab, Newport West). 12:23pm: Nick Clegg's turn, pledging to work with Labour: “When a ship is sinking, you send out the lifeboats - you don't argue about who steered it into the iceberg. That’s a discussion for a different day.” Hear, hear. Back to interest rates: the coordinated cut in interest rates shows the world will work together, says Brown - blaming the fall-out from the sub-prime market in the US. He's been chatting with Bush. World leaders are poised for a remedial pow-wow. Nick again: struggling families need more money in their pockets now. Will Brown close loopholes in the tax system that benefit the rich? The cheque's in the post, Brown is saying - and it's addressed to families and pensioners. 12:20pm: Failing banks shouldn't give their execs any bonuses at all, Cameron insists. He's not going to let this one go... "Taxpayers will be infuriated if they see their hard-earned money going in rewards for failure," he says, stabbing the air with his index finger. The Bank of England will have a role in supervising the country's finances, says Brown. The FSA will keep an eye on banks' demands for capital. Brown again: "What you won't hear from me this week is sort of easy, cheap lines kind of just beating up on the market system, bashing the financiers" - much guffawing on the benches. That was Brown reminding Cameron of what he said at the weekend on the Andrew Marr show. 12:15pm: Cameron's needling him on the 'test' of helping ordinary homeowners keep a roof over their heads. Brown says he's committed to improving cash flow, both for individuals and small/medium enterprises by restructuring the banks and keeping commercial credit open. Back to Fat Cats and big City bonuses: "irresponsible," says Cameron. The bonus system will be reviewed, answers Brown, again asserting that risk-taking won't be rewarded. Tough talk on both sides... 12:10pm: Gerald Kaufmann wants a guarantee that bailing out City Fat Cats won't take priority over protecting the electorate's savings. "We will ensure that excessive risk-taking is not rewarded," answers Brown. David Cameron's turn now: the Tories will support the government's efforts to solve the financial crisis. "The banking system cannot be allowed to fail," says Cameron. Brown says cutting interest rates proves he's putting the people first. 12:05pm: Brown's opening with a tribute to members of the armed forces killed in Afghanistan over the summer, offering "full and unwavering support" - a response to recent criticisms about the government breaking the military covenant? Now the economy: "global problems require global action." The IMF says the British economy will shrink next year - does he agree? Not if I can possibly prevent it, he's saying. Nearly noon: And we're almost off! Remember to refresh your screen regularly to get the most up-to-date entry. 11:55am: Things to watch out for: barbed comments from The Opposition on Brown's handling of the financial crisis; thinly veiled "Wouldn't I make a good prime minister?" body language from David Milliband and references to Labour's consistently poor performance in recent by-elections (and there's another just around the corner: Glenrothes on November 6). 11:38am: Just over 20 minutes to go before prime minister's questions kicks off in the Commons - the first since ministers returned from summer recess. A lot has changed since the last PMQs: the world's finances have unravelled; the Cabinet has been reshuffled and Brown has apparently bounced back after a career-saving speech to the Labour conference. Will he fare as well today? Join me at midday, when I'll be live blogging throughout, to find out.
Obama and McCain spar in second debateWhat’s happening:
Two down, one to go: US election rivals Barack Obama and John McCain sparred over the best ways to help struggling workers through the economic crisis in the second of three TV debates last night – highlighting their policy differences in a less-than-amicable exchange.
What people are saying:
Questioned by an audience of undecided voters, both acknowledged the economy’s impact on the electorate. “Americans are angry, they’re upset and they’re a little fearful. We don’t have trust and confidence in our institutions,” said McCain. Cue Obama: “We are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and a lot of you, I think, are worried about your jobs, your pensions, your retirement accounts.” How would they fix it? McCain would buy mortgages from homeowners facing financial problems and replace them with new, fixed-rate mortgages; Obama said middle-class workers, not just Wall Street, needed a rescue package that would include tax cuts.
Why we should give a damn: Last night was McCain’s chance to ‘change the game’ – a game Obama is currently winning on points. Did the Republican pull it off? Newsweek doesn’t think so and neither do voters, according to a CNN poll taken immediately after the event. The BBC, mixing its sporting metaphors, declares Obama the heavyweight/poker champion; the Guardian describes McCain’s performance – at one point he dismissively referred to Obama as “that one” – as “mean and dispirited.” The Times dismisses the entire event as “gnawingly dull.” So, which candidate won you over? Have the TV debates changed your view of either man? Or, like the Times, did you sleep through them? If the answer to the last question is yes, a) shame on you, and b) here's your chance to catch up:
07 ottobre Gordon Brown poised for landmark PM's QuestionsPosted by Laura Snook, senior news editor
What’s happening:
At noon on Wednesday, Gordon Brown will face the Commons for the first prime minister’s questions since the end of the summer recess, the start of the global financial meltdown and the return of Peter Mandelson in last week’s Cabinet reshuffle.
What people are saying: The Labour rebel who led the attempt to oust Brown has declared an end to hostilities – confirming that the prime minister’s “robust speech” at the party conference and his handling of the financial crisis have helped secure his position, says the Telegraph. Brown has proved he’s no pushover, says the Independent: “Like Harold Wilson, he has no choice other than to wriggle, but he wriggles with aplomb.”
Why we should give a damn: So, is Brown’s future as British prime minister now secure? The political landscape has certainly changed dramatically in the last few days, as the BBC’s David Thompson points out, but the state of the world’s economy may have more of a role in shaping Brown’s future than rebel MPs. In the meantime, here’s a date for your diary: on November 6, just two days after the US elections, Labour will be vying with the Scottish National Party for control of Glenrothes in another key by-election. Join me at midday on Wednesday, when I’ll be live blogging throughout PMQs.
McCain and Obama braced for second debatePosted by Laura Snook, senior news editor
What’s happening: Aspiring US presidents Barack Obama and John McCain meet for their second TV debate today – hours after clashing over terrorist links and dodgy business dealings. Less formal than the first head-to-head, which was declared a virtual tie, today’s will be a ‘town hall’ session in which the audience of undecided voters asks the questions. The campaign is turning ugly, but can we expect the debate to follow suit? Probably not, says the BBC’s Jonathan Beale: unlike prime minister’s questions, presidential debates aren’t “a cockpit of confrontation.” They’re about “engaging with the electorate, not political point-scoring.” Why we should give a damn: When would-be presidents stoop to conquer, voters find it a turn-off. Gentle putdowns are considered more statesmanlike, as demonstrated by Reagan’s famous chiding of Walter Mondale in 1984. In other words, most of the eye-scratching and hair-pulling will be left to Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. In the meantime, McCain and Obama would do well to read CNN’s 10 rules for winning a debate – and remember that debates are lost more often than they’re won. We, the people: voters' views of the US elections
01 ottobre David Cameron's speech: the verdictPosted by Laura Snook, senior news editor
What's happening:
The party conference season is coming to an end now that David Cameron, 'a man with a plan', has delievered his speech to the Tories. He did indeed talk tough on the economy, as was promised earlier, but he admitted he had "no miracle cure." His first priority as prime minister? To rein in government borrowing and spending, not to cut taxes.
What people are saying:
One Tory member, a teenaged boy in school uniform, said afterwards: "The anti-Labour rhetoric was kept to a minimum which was good." The BBC's Justin Parkinson says: "Mr Cameron's speech was long and largely serious, in a conscious attempt not to appear triumphalist given the country's current difficulties." "Hardly a bravura performance", writes Michael Kettle in the Guardian. Oliver Letwin, Conservative policy director, told politics.co.uk: "I think it was an enormously powerful speech. With a combination of power and charm he showed balance, maturity, clarity of judgement and character. He also nailed the point that Gordon Brown's experience is exactly the kind of experience we don't want to repeat." Not a word about it on Labour's website yet.
Why we should give a damn:
David Cameron's key message today was that the Conservatives have “passed the test” and are ready to lead Britain through the global financial crisis and back to prosperity, but what do you think? Are they ready to take Number 10? How do you think he did today? Better or worse than Brown? Did you prefer last year's 'unplugged performance'?
David Cameron's speech: LIVEPosted by Laura Snook, senior news editor
4:30pm. Quick confession: I called Cameron's wife 'Sarah' earlier - sincerest apologies. I've righted it now.
4:10pm: A leisurely exit, clasping as many hands as he can on his way out. Samantha looks a bit bemused. He won't answer the press's questions: "You've heard the speech. I'll leave it at that." Me too, for the moment. I'll be back in a couple of hours with the best of the post-speech post-mortem. See you then!
4:06pm: "Come on, come on, let's stick together." Nice touch. On stage, a cuddle and a kiss for his wife, Samantha. William Hague can't clap in time with the music.
4:04pm : 'Character' is another one of his buzzwords. I've lost count of how many times he's said it. He's optimistic about our future - because of us, the people of Britain. Our attitude and confidence, our courage. Cheers, Dave... "Better times will lie ahead." And he's off! Another standing ovation.
4:03pm: Climate threats now. He's proud of how we're confronting it head-on, not because it's fashionable, but because we're committed to change - just like the Tories. Gains at the polls - that had to come up sooner or later. Cheers when he mentions Boris Johnson, London's first Conservative mayor.
4pm: Back to welfare. The "crazy" benefits system encourages a benefit culture. "We will end the something for nothing culture. Stay on benefits, and you'll have to work for them." Money saved will be used to end couple penalties. It's a very different David than last year's. Very stern.
3:55pm: Marriage will be backed by tax breaks - enough to make you tie the knot? More good schools are on the menu. The "dreadful practice of dumbing down" has "got to go." A letter from the president of the Spelling Society says people should be allowed to use whichever spelling they want. "Wrong," declares Cameron, "and that's spelt with a 'w'."
3:50pm: We don't just need tougher sentencing and more prisons, we need to tackle the long-term social causes, too. He's inviting us to go to Wandsworth Prison with him and meet the inmates - young men with absent fathers; middle-aged men who've never had a job. The family is the best welfare system, he says.
3:45pm: This is a big one: patients should have the right to die with dignity. "God, we've got to change that." Clapping again. He wants the NHS to be more transparent, so doctors answer less to Whitehall and more to patients. "We are now the party of the NHS." Has anyone told them? Social reform: there's that word 'change' again - radical change, he's promising. He doesn't believe our society isn't 'broken' - says it has become "angry, harsh".
3:40pm: Britain's 'spendaholic culture' is incurring his wrath. He wants Parliament to reign in MPs' privileges, such as the John Lewis list. Only responsibility can improve politics and the public's perception of it. "We've had 11 years of superficial tinkering." Labour has ripped out the NHS's soul and replaced it with management targets.
3:35pm: The problem isn't Gordon Brown or any other member of the Labour party, it's the Labour party itself, he says. Human rights culture is producing ridiculous bureaucratic tape. "We have got to end this nonsense." Did he just thump the lectern?
3:33pm: Corporation tax will be cut by 3pm by revising the "nightmare complexities" of business tax. We need a highspeed rail network uniting the main cities, not another terminal at Heathrow, he says. He wants to be judged on the NHS and mending our broken society. The Labour-bashing is well underway. For Labour, there's only the State and the individual. "And I have to say, you cannot run our country like that", he says, slowly and forcefully.
3:28pm: All spending programmes will be reviewed. And he's going to tackle the social issues that cause spending to rise. Again: "It's not experience that will bring that change about." It'll help lower taxes, he says. Are you struggling to pay your mortgage? Food bills? He wants to give some of our money back to us. The real test? Whether the Tories can grit their teeth and get on with it - even when they're challenged. He just made a joke about his wife Samantha, but I missed the punchline - sorry!
3:23pm: Irresponsible bankers are largely responsible for the trouble the economy's in, he says. The City won't like that much. He's blaming Brown, too, for changing banking regulations: "changing the rules, but taking the referee off the pitch." Sound money and low taxes: that's the government's main role. He'll restore the Bank of England's power to limit debt in our economy. They liked that. They'e clapping.
3:20pm: Rebuilding our economy; repairing our society: they all demand change, not just experience. Praise for Thatcher produces thunderous applause. "If we didn't change, we'd have Gordon Brown forever. I'm not going to go on - there are people on balconies up there..." Ho, ho. A change of direction is needed, he says - the government has taken the wrong road.
3:15pm: "Being leader isn't about being popular, it's about being right. This is a country, not a television channel." The claws are out. He's ready to do difficult things in what has become a difficult time.
3:13pm: He believes in the union: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland <applause>. "I don't want to be prime minister of England. I want to be prime minister of the United Kingdom."
3:10pm: "Let the Ghurkas, the brave people who fought for us, come and live with us," he's saying - a reference to a recent ruling. "The Conservative Party isn't just about freedom, but freedom can all too easily turn into the idea that we all have the right to do whatever we want. That is not Conservative, that's libertarian - and that's not me." It's all about social responsibility, not state control...
3:07pm: The government has breached the military covenant - something several heads of the Armed Forces have said before. "And that is wrong", bellows Cameron.
3:05pm: "Let's not forget we're a nation at war" - he's thanking the Armed Forces for their role in reducing terrorism.
3:03pm: We need to put aside our political differences to end the financial crisis, he says. Labour will work with the Tories short-term (only short-term?) to protect our economy.
3:01pm: "In this party, everyone... is playing the same tune." But WHICH tune?!
3pm: And here he is, looking relaxed. Standing ovation. Striding onto the stage to the tune of... I have no idea! Good job I didn't have any money on that one.
2:57pm: Did you spot the lectern? He's setting a more austere, authoritative tone than last year, says Daniel Finkelstein, comment editor of The Times...
2:50pm: Microsoft is in the video they're about to screen, apparently!
2:40pm: While we're waiting, any guesses as to what track will accompany his entrance? Gordon Brown's was 'Your love keeps lifting me higher' by Jackie Wilson. 'Flight of the Valkyries', by Wagner, would be good...
2:45pm: Good grief. He won't be striding onto the stage now until 3:52pm. What's he up to?
2:30pm: False alarm - he's going to be fashionably late, the BBC says. We've another few minutes to wait.
2:20pm: Less than ten minutes to go before David Cameron takes the stage at the Conservative conference. I'll be blogging throughout. Refresh your page regularly to get the latest post. I'll be back after flexing my fingers!
Cameron to talk tough in speechWhat’s happening:
At 2:30pm today, David Cameron will deliver his keynote speech to Tory MPs and activists at the final day of the Conservative Party conference. Last week, at the Labour conference, Prime Minister Gordon Brown suggested the 41-year-old Conservative leader was “a novice” – too inexperienced to lead the UK out of the financial crisis. Today it’s Cameron’s turn – and he’s going to shoot Brown’s jibe down. What people are saying: Not a lot, as it happens. The Tories had hoped to avoid bad headlines during the conference, but because of the economic turmoil, they’ve barely had any headlines at all. Extracts of Cameron’s speech have already released, though, and he’s expected to say: “To do difficult things for the long term, or even get us through the financial crisis in the short term, it’s not experience we need, it’s character and judgement.” Why we should give a damn: This time last year, Cameron gave his famous ‘unplugged’ speech – his first as Conservative leader – speaking for over an hour with no autocue and no notes. The dynamic address bounced the Tories to an 11-point lead over Labour. But now, with the global economy in a tailspin, Cameron’s lead over Brown has dipped. His mission now is to realign the Tories as the party of The City, says The Guardian’s Michael White. The Telegraph’s Iain Martin, however, says there will be more to his speech than money. I’ll be live blogging throughout the speech, and bringing you the best opinion and analysis once the dust has settled. See you in a couple of hours. In the meantime, what do you think he should be focussing on? Here are a few words from the man himself:
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