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Showing posts with label bbc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bbc. Show all posts

Thursday, 9 September 2010

Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs fined £20m by UK's FSA

Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs has been fined £20m ($31m) by the UK City regulator, the Financial Services Authority, the BBC has learned

The fine is for failing to tell the FSA it was under investigation for fraud by the US financial watchdog this summer.


In July, Goldman settled the fraud charge with the Securities and Exchange Commission by paying $550m (£356m).

The £20m is one of the heaviest fines ever imposed by the FSA, said the BBC's business editor Robert Peston.

Both the FSA and Goldman Sachs declined to comment on the fine.

Goldman agreed to pay the US fine to settle civil fraud charges of misleading investors.

The charges concerned the bank's marketing of complex mortgage investments, just as the US housing market faltered.

The FSA said Goldman also did not tell them that Fabrice Tourre, the trader who helped to create these mortgage derivatives, was under investigation.

This it said was particularly relevant as Mr Tourre moved from the US to London, and therefore came under the auspices of the UK regulator.

Goldman has admitted that it made a mistake, our correspondent added.

Thursday, 8 July 2010

IMF raises global economic growth forecast

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its forecast for global economic growth this year, from 4% to 4.5%.


It said the world economy grew strongly in the first part of this year, mainly due to robust growth in Asia.

Developed economies maintained a modest but steady recovery in the same period.

But it warned risks had increased and there had been a setback in progress towards financial stability.

Debt concerns

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

UK economy continues to grow, says BCC

The UK economy continued to grow in the second quarter of this year, according to a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The organisation, which collected data from 5,600 businesses across the country, predicted growth for the three months to the end of June of between 0.6% and 0.7%.

However, serious concerns over sustained recovery remained, it warned.

It found that the service sector presented the biggest worry.

The BCC's members reported sluggish growth in retail and services, which account for around three quarters of the country's gross domestic product.

Another, more tangible problem was the rising cost of raw materials, cited by 80% of its manufacturing members as putting pressure on prices.

Wednesday, 2 June 2010

Gaza flotilla: British activists released

Israel has released and is in the process of deporting the remaining British activists arrested in its raid on a Gaza-bound aid convoy.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has said 37 British nationals, including 11 with dual nationality, were involved. Five have already been deported.


He said he was concerned at the raid taking place in international waters.

Prime Minister David Cameron condemned it as "completely unacceptable", saying he deplored the loss of life.

In his first Commons question time, he said everything should be done to prevent it happening again.

Israel is in the process of deporting nearly all of the 682 detainees.

The remaining Britons are currently either on flights or awaiting planes at Ben Gurion airport, Tel Aviv, the BBC understands.

Consular staff are ready to provide assistance both at the airport and in Turkey, the Foreign Office has said.

'Humanitarian catastrophe'

None of the Britons was currently believed to have been involved in any violence against Israeli servicemen who boarded the ships, Mr Hague told MPs.

Nine activists died when Israeli commandos boarded the six-ship convoy on Monday, prompting increased international pressure on Israel to lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Monday, 24 May 2010

EU to press for Europe-wide tax on banks

All European nations should introduce a similar upfront levy on banks, the EU internal market commissioner is expected to announce later.

Michel Barnier will suggest proceeds should go into a fund to insure against future financial failures.

UK Chancellor George Osborne backs such a levy but would prefer national governments to have more freedom to decide how the money is spent.

The move is among the global attempts to tighten up banking regulation.

A Senate bill in the US containing the biggest overhaul of banking regulation since the 1930s is awaiting approval by the House of Representatives.

An independent commission is being established in the UK to look at breaking up banks into their retail and investment banking arms to reduce risk.

Meanwhile, EU ministers recently voted to curb the activities of hedge funds and certain other investment funds.

Recklessness fear Mr Barnier will suggest the money raised by the levy should go into so-called national "resolution" funds, to pay to unwind banks that run into the kind of difficulties seen during the credit crisis of 2008.

"The commissioner will say that the resolution funds would be used only to provide the kind of temporary finance required to lubricate the break up of big banks" Robert Peston: European bank tax

 A common criticism of such schemes is that they could induce recklessness if the bank knows there is a permanent bail-out fund.

The BBC's business editor Robert Peston says Mr Barnier is expected to allay the chancellor's concerns in this area and point out that it would only provide temporary finance at the time of a collapse.

 The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition has said there may be a case for two new taxes on banks - one on what they borrow and another on their profits.

Sourced from the BBC

Sunday, 23 May 2010

Business department 'facing £700m budget cut'

Plans to reduce public spending by £6bn include cutting the business department budget by £700m, the BBC has learned.

The government is to set out where this year's cuts will be made this week.


But the BBC's Carole Walker says £700m will come from Lib Dem Vince Cable's department, while £500m is to come from trimming or axing public bodies.

Ministers say cuts must be made quickly to show Britain is serious about cutting the deficit but Labour says this could put the recovery at risk.

Universities

Ministers have insisted that front-line services will be protected, despite the cuts that will be made.

Chancellor George Osborne said on 17 May that plans for £6bn cuts would be announced this week, while setting a date for an "emergency Budget" for 22 June.

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said savings at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would mean "significant cuts" to regional development agencies in the south of England.

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

Banks given new rules on bonuses

Banks given new rules on bonuses
New rules on how financial institutions should determine pay and bonuses for staff have been set out by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

It wants to see bankers' pay deals linked far more closely with the long-term profitability of the banks.

The FSA says that bonuses should not be guaranteed for more than a year, and that senior employees should have their bonuses spread over three years.

Many believe that big bonuses led to excessive risk-taking at banks.

The new code is designed specifically to discourage short-term risk-taking, which many argue was an important factor in triggering the financial crisis.


The FSA is determined that banks' remuneration policies should be consistent with, and promote, effective risk management




Hector Sants, FSA chief executive


"The fundamental objective [of the rules] is to sustain market confidence and promote financial stability through removing the incentives for inappropriate risk taking by firms," the FSA said.

But it said that "inappropriate remuneration policies" were a "contributory, rather than a dominant factor" in the crisis.

'Right incentives'

Hector Sants, head of the FSA, said the regulator was "determined that banks' remuneration policies should be consistent with, and promote, effective risk management".

The FSA said there were two main objectives behind the code of practice.

First, to ensure that boards focus more closely on making sure that "the total amount [of pay and bonuses] distributed by a firm is consistent with good risk management and sustainability".

And second, to ensure that overall pay, including bonuses, "provides the right incentives".

To this end, a number of new principles have been added to the FSA's financial regulation handbook.

In particular, these make clear that bonuses should only be guaranteed for 12 months, and that senior employees will see two-thirds of their bonuses paid out over three years.

Mr Sants said the new rules would take effect from January 2010.

The FSA wants banks to submit their remuneration policies to it by the end of October. Firms that do not comply with the code "could face enforcement action", or be forced to hold more cash in reserve should they want to pursue risky strategies.

However, it conceded that the code "is not going to change the bonus culture overnight".

The FSA also reduced the number of banks affected by the code to 26, down from the 47 originally covered.

The Association of British Insurers described the new rules as "an important step forward."

"The new version [of the handbook] is much more likely to deliver the desired outcome without excessive compliance burdens," it added.

Nicholas Stretch at City law firm CMS Cameron McKenna said: "This is not the end of the rules for rewards for bank employees.

"There is still substantial political pressure for capping awards, greater public disclosure and naming and shaming in this sector, both in the UK and internationally, which is likely to continue for some time."

Relocation concerns

The FSA launched a consultation in February looking at measures to discourage excessive risk-taking, and published a draft version of the code in March.

Bankers expressed concerns that the proposed measures on bonuses, some of which have been included in the final code, would encourage institutions to relocate employees outside of the UK, to get round the new rules.

This could have serious implications for the City's position as the world's leading financial centre, and for the UK's tax take, bankers argue.

However, recently there have been concerns that large bonuses are returning amid a boom in profits from investment banking.

And there have been calls for stricter rules on pay from those who criticise what they see as excessive bonuses.

sourced from THE BBC

UK jobless total climbs to 2.4m

The number of people out of work in the UK has risen to its highest level since 1995, official figures have shown.

Unemployment increased by 220,000 to 2,435,000 in the three months to June, taking the jobless rate to 7.8%.

Claims for unemployment benefit were the highest in 12 years, increasing by 24,900 from June to 1.58 million.

 

Average earnings, excluding bonuses, grew at their slowest rate since records began in 2001, the Office for National Statistics said.

Sunday, 9 August 2009

Sainsbury's to boost Scots jobs

Sainsbury's has announced plans to expand in Scotland, creating 1,300 jobs by next summer.

The new posts will be created through new stores at Strathaven in Lanarkshire and Prestwick, in Ayrshire, and the extension of existing shops.

Sainsbury's also said the move would give Scottish suppliers more opportunities to sell their produce.

Sainsbury's store


Sainsbury's has embarked on a nationwide expansion Supermarket giant



The announcement came amid a drive by the company to open 150 convenience stores by 2010-11.

read full article at recession2009 - Food

Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Should we pull the plug - Northern Rock makes hefty losses

"is it now time to let Northern Rock go, can we all continue to support the Bank with our own money. If this was a company then it would have gone into adminstration by know. Lets pull the plug on Northern Rock and let it close down - I know at lot of people will loss money but we can't afford to support the bank / share holders any longer"

by N Blakeley - recession 2009

 

Northern Rock has reported a loss of £724.2m for the first six months of 2009, compared with a loss of £585.4m in the first half of last year.

The nationalised bank said that 3.92% of its mortgage loans were more than three months in arrears, well above the national average of 2.39%.


It currently owes the government £10.9bn, but is waiting for European regulatory clearance for more funding.



Branch of Northern Rock
Northern Rock was nationalised in February 2008

It had to be bailed out by taxpayers in 2007, when its model of borrowing short-term funds from wholesale markets to lend to mortgage borrowers was hit by the credit crunch.

It reported impairment losses from loans and advances of £602.2m for the first six months of the year, compared with £191.6m for the same period the year before.

Monday, 3 August 2009

Barclays profit up to almost £3bn

Profits at Barclays' investment banking arm doubled Barclays has announced an 8% rise in first-half profits, boosted by its investment banking division.

Pre-tax profits for the first six months came in at £2.98bn ($5bn), although this was slightly below analysts' forecasts.

Its investment bank Barclays Capital saw profits double to more than £1bn, having picked up some still-successful operations from Lehman Brothers.

But profits at Barclays' UK retail banking arm more than halved.

The UK headquarters of Barclays in Canary Wharf, east London


Profits at Barclays' investment banking arm doubled



Sunday, 19 July 2009

Banking reform proposals outlined

Opposition parties are setting out details of how they would regulate banking, following the loss of billions of pounds in the credit crunch.

Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable is expected to argue that large, failed UK banks are the "financial equivalent" of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

And taxpayer-owned Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland should be broken up.

Meanwhile, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne wants to give the Bank of England more regulation powers.

However, he also wants to curb the personal power of the governor of the Bank by vesting the responsibility for supervising financial institutions in a new financial policy committee. This would include independent appointees.

The Tories, in their 52-page "plan for sound banking", also propose a raft of measures to protect and empower consumers.

These would include transforming the rump of the current Financial Service Authority (FSA) into a consumer protection agency and also forcing banks to give the consumers more useful information on what they charge.

Treasury minister Lord Myners called the proposals "window dressing that ignore the failures that led to the global financial crisis".

"While George Osborne talks about who's in charge, we are focused on the lessons of the crisis, including greater scrutiny of the shadow banking sector and a crackdown on excessive City bonuses.

"The Tory proposals would abolish an independent, expert regulator, while diverting attention from banks that took excessive risks that led to this crisis."

'Not hostile'

Meanwhile, Mr Cable will use a speech later to argue major reform is needed to make banks a lesser threat to the UK economy.

He will tell the London Stock Exchange he believes there is a long-term role for state banking, and will argue the banks in which taxpayers have a stake should be broken up into smaller parts before being returned to private ownership.

Tory financial plans
Mr Cable will also call for highly-paid bankers to publish details of their pay and bonuses and will repeat his calls for the FSA to keep its role as banking regulator.

"Some aspects of the financial services industry are simply too big for the British economy to manage safely," he will say.

"The large, failed, British banks are the financial equivalent of Chernobyl. Like the former Soviet Union, the UK became over-reliant on dangerous financial reactors."

To prevent Britain from becoming the next Iceland, "radical safety measures" were needed, he will argue.

"My approach to the City is not one of hostility, or of obsequiousness. I recognise its importance.

"But it needs 'tough love', not the freedom to run amok."

Earlier this month, Chancellor Alistair Darling said banks would have to hold more capital and announced plans to strengthen regulation.

He intends to set up a new Council for Financial Stability, which would see the FSA, the Bank of England and the Treasury meeting regularly and reporting on the systemic risks to financial stability.

sourced from THE BBC

Saturday, 18 July 2009

UK economy shrinking at fastest rate in more than 50 years

Downward revisions to official statistics show output fell 2.4% in the first three months of the year and the recession started three months earlier than thought

The recession facing Britain is even deeper than had been thought and started more than a year ago, it was revealed today.


National income fell in the first quarter of this year by 2.4%, the biggest drop since 1958, as the Office for National Statistics revised its initial estimate of 1.9%.

The figures are much worse than expected. Extended to the whole year, the drop in output in the January to March period is now equal to 4.9% – the worst since records began in 1948.

"We hope the recovery comes as soon as possible but sadly we now know this recession has been longer and deeper than we had thought," said shadow chancellor George Osborne.

"This also means that in the future unemployment will be higher and Labour's debt crisis will be even worse."

Although GDP fell 2.4% in the third quarter of 1979 and first quarter of 1974, statisticians said these were rounded from 2.36% or 2.37%. The figure for this year was exactly 2.4%.

The revision is one of the biggest ever made by the ONS and it said the reasons were changes to its estimate of the construction and services sectors.

The ONS also revised down its figure for the second quarter of last year to -0.1% from zero, meaning the recession started earlier than previously thought. And the fourth quarter of 2008 figure was revised down to a fall of 1.8%.

"The recession, which now begins in the second quarter of 2008 rather than the third, is now thought to be quite a bit deeper than previously thought, and is looking ominously like the early 1980s vintage," said Danny Gabay of Fathom Consulting.

Critics of the Bank of England who called for big interest rate cuts in the first half of last year, will feel justified by the data, since the Bank's monetary policy committee argued into last autumn that there was little likelihood of a recession occurring and delayed rate cuts until October. In fact, the economy had entered one last spring.

Separately, the Trades Union Congress said that while there were signs of "green shoots" in the economy, this was more to do with an easing of the pace of the fall in output rather than that a big recovery was under way.

"This recession is already worse than the 1990s one and is likely to be worse than that of the 1980s," said Richard Excel, TUC labour market expert. "It has been very severe and we are probably only half way through. It will be quite some time until employment and growth return to pre-recession levels."

Paul Gregg, labour market expert from Bristol University, noted that unemployment had started rising earlier in this recession than in previous ones and was "encouraged" that monthly rises in the claimant count appeared to be slowing down.

sourced from The Guardian

UK economy shrinking at fastest rate in more than 50 years

Downward revisions to official statistics show output fell 2.4% in the first three months of the year and the recession started three months earlier than thought

The recession facing Britain is even deeper than had been thought and started more than a year ago, it was revealed today.


National income fell in the first quarter of this year by 2.4%, the biggest drop since 1958, as the Office for National Statistics revised its initial estimate of 1.9%.

The figures are much worse than expected. Extended to the whole year, the drop in output in the January to March period is now equal to 4.9% – the worst since records began in 1948.

"We hope the recovery comes as soon as possible but sadly we now know this recession has been longer and deeper than we had thought," said shadow chancellor George Osborne.

"This also means that in the future unemployment will be higher and Labour's debt crisis will be even worse."

Although GDP fell 2.4% in the third quarter of 1979 and first quarter of 1974, statisticians said these were rounded from 2.36% or 2.37%. The figure for this year was exactly 2.4%.

The revision is one of the biggest ever made by the ONS and it said the reasons were changes to its estimate of the construction and services sectors.

The ONS also revised down its figure for the second quarter of last year to -0.1% from zero, meaning the recession started earlier than previously thought. And the fourth quarter of 2008 figure was revised down to a fall of 1.8%.

"The recession, which now begins in the second quarter of 2008 rather than the third, is now thought to be quite a bit deeper than previously thought, and is looking ominously like the early 1980s vintage," said Danny Gabay of Fathom Consulting.

Critics of the Bank of England who called for big interest rate cuts in the first half of last year, will feel justified by the data, since the Bank's monetary policy committee argued into last autumn that there was little likelihood of a recession occurring and delayed rate cuts until October. In fact, the economy had entered one last spring.

Separately, the Trades Union Congress said that while there were signs of "green shoots" in the economy, this was more to do with an easing of the pace of the fall in output rather than that a big recovery was under way.

"This recession is already worse than the 1990s one and is likely to be worse than that of the 1980s," said Richard Excel, TUC labour market expert. "It has been very severe and we are probably only half way through. It will be quite some time until employment and growth return to pre-recession levels."

Paul Gregg, labour market expert from Bristol University, noted that unemployment had started rising earlier in this recession than in previous ones and was "encouraged" that monthly rises in the claimant count appeared to be slowing down.

sourced from The Guardian

Hi de hi, good old fashioned British holidays

At the seaside, recession can mean revival


 It is a pleasant, sunny, yet breezy day in Morecambe and the glass-fronted restaurant at the Midland hotel offers uninterrupted views across the bay to the mountains of the Lake District.


 

This once neglected art deco gem has been transformed into a boutique hotel that is helping to drive the regeneration of the Lancashire seaside resort.

British seaside towns are enjoying a renaissance not seen for decades as the credit crunch bites and staycations become appealing. Gerberas are placed in vases and the cafe has comfortable red leather bucket seats. Nostalgic 1930s music is playing in the background to add to the atmosphere.

The hotel has been re-opened for more than a year and resembles a liner in its structure, stairs and clean lines. Matt Whitehead, the manager, drives to work each day along the seafront and feels lucky. He refers to his hotel as "she".

He said: "The first time I came to Morecambe it was a cold, windy day. It was like a ghost town. The hotel was boarded up. Now you see people walking on the promenade and our database shows people are coming from all over the UK.

"More people are coming to Morecambe for a holiday. "Whatever the reason – the Euro or the fact we are here – it has to be a good thing."

sourced from The Guardian

Hi de hi, good old fashioned British holidays

At the seaside, recession can mean revival


 It is a pleasant, sunny, yet breezy day in Morecambe and the glass-fronted restaurant at the Midland hotel offers uninterrupted views across the bay to the mountains of the Lake District.


 

This once neglected art deco gem has been transformed into a boutique hotel that is helping to drive the regeneration of the Lancashire seaside resort.

British seaside towns are enjoying a renaissance not seen for decades as the credit crunch bites and staycations become appealing. Gerberas are placed in vases and the cafe has comfortable red leather bucket seats. Nostalgic 1930s music is playing in the background to add to the atmosphere.

The hotel has been re-opened for more than a year and resembles a liner in its structure, stairs and clean lines. Matt Whitehead, the manager, drives to work each day along the seafront and feels lucky. He refers to his hotel as "she".

He said: "The first time I came to Morecambe it was a cold, windy day. It was like a ghost town. The hotel was boarded up. Now you see people walking on the promenade and our database shows people are coming from all over the UK.

"More people are coming to Morecambe for a holiday. "Whatever the reason – the Euro or the fact we are here – it has to be a good thing."

sourced from The Guardian

We are in a recession, we have a labour goverment so that all strike











Cadbury workers 'vote on strike'









A Cadbury Diary Milk

Cadbury's produces some of the UK's best known chocolate bars

Cadbury workers begin voting on possible strike action on Saturday, according to the union Unite.

Ballot papers consulting on action will begin to arrive at the homes of workers at the UK's best-known chocolate maker, it said.

Unite claims that Cadbury is breaking a long-standing pay deal with workers at its Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale plants.

About 1,300 people work across the sites, the union said.

The ballot will run to 18 August, it added.

sourced from THE BBC










Postal staff set to strike again









Post box

The union has warned a national strike could take place

Industrial action at the Royal Mail is set to escalate with strike action scheduled for three days next week, the BBC has learned.

The strike action on 25, 27 and 28 July comes on top of Friday's one-day walkout by 12,000 Royal Mail employees.

The escalating action is in defence of workers who, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) say, are being unduly pressured by Royal Mail managers.

The Royal Mail has accused the union of standing in the way of modernisation.

'Illogical cuts'

Union members in London and other selected regions are to down tools in the dispute over job cuts and working conditions.

This could result in no deliveries of mail on Saturday 25 July, and no work at Royal Mail's London distribution centres on 27 and 28 July, says BBC business correspondent Joe Lynam.

The CWU has accused Royal Mail managers of trying to "break the union for good" and accused them of "illogical and arbitrary" job cuts.

Deputy General Secretary of the CWU, Dave Ward, said his union recognised that the Royal Mail is "facing huge problems" but said that it had a very different view of what modernisation is needed.

The vision that Royal Mail has put to workers involves "endless job cuts, hugely damaging cuts to the service and continuous cuts in our members' pay, pensions and conditions," he said.

Paul Tolhurst at the Royal Mail countered that with "mail volumes falling and our profits under huge pressure, there is no real opportunity for us to stop [making] the changes."

"Particularly," he added, "as these changes we are trying to put in were agreed with [the union] in 2007."

Earlier on Friday, about 400 employees marched on Westminster to deliver letters of protest to the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

Sell off

The Royal Mail is suffering from a big drop in demand for letters as more and more people use the internet to communicate.

The government announced last month that it was delaying controversial plans to sell a stake in the postal service to a private company.

It maintains that the partial sell off of Royal Mail is required as part of measures to tackle the company's finances - in particular a pensions deficit said to be near £8bn.

Lord Mandelson has said the company cannot survive without the sale.

The Royal Mail employs more than 150,000 people in the UK, most of whom are represented by the CWU.

sourced from THE BBC


We are in a recession, we have a labour goverment so that all strike











Cadbury workers 'vote on strike'









A Cadbury Diary Milk

Cadbury's produces some of the UK's best known chocolate bars

Cadbury workers begin voting on possible strike action on Saturday, according to the union Unite.

Ballot papers consulting on action will begin to arrive at the homes of workers at the UK's best-known chocolate maker, it said.

Unite claims that Cadbury is breaking a long-standing pay deal with workers at its Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale plants.

About 1,300 people work across the sites, the union said.

The ballot will run to 18 August, it added.

sourced from THE BBC










Postal staff set to strike again









Post box

The union has warned a national strike could take place

Industrial action at the Royal Mail is set to escalate with strike action scheduled for three days next week, the BBC has learned.

The strike action on 25, 27 and 28 July comes on top of Friday's one-day walkout by 12,000 Royal Mail employees.

The escalating action is in defence of workers who, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) say, are being unduly pressured by Royal Mail managers.

The Royal Mail has accused the union of standing in the way of modernisation.

'Illogical cuts'

Union members in London and other selected regions are to down tools in the dispute over job cuts and working conditions.

This could result in no deliveries of mail on Saturday 25 July, and no work at Royal Mail's London distribution centres on 27 and 28 July, says BBC business correspondent Joe Lynam.

The CWU has accused Royal Mail managers of trying to "break the union for good" and accused them of "illogical and arbitrary" job cuts.

Deputy General Secretary of the CWU, Dave Ward, said his union recognised that the Royal Mail is "facing huge problems" but said that it had a very different view of what modernisation is needed.

The vision that Royal Mail has put to workers involves "endless job cuts, hugely damaging cuts to the service and continuous cuts in our members' pay, pensions and conditions," he said.

Paul Tolhurst at the Royal Mail countered that with "mail volumes falling and our profits under huge pressure, there is no real opportunity for us to stop [making] the changes."

"Particularly," he added, "as these changes we are trying to put in were agreed with [the union] in 2007."

Earlier on Friday, about 400 employees marched on Westminster to deliver letters of protest to the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.

Sell off

The Royal Mail is suffering from a big drop in demand for letters as more and more people use the internet to communicate.

The government announced last month that it was delaying controversial plans to sell a stake in the postal service to a private company.

It maintains that the partial sell off of Royal Mail is required as part of measures to tackle the company's finances - in particular a pensions deficit said to be near £8bn.

Lord Mandelson has said the company cannot survive without the sale.

The Royal Mail employs more than 150,000 people in the UK, most of whom are represented by the CWU.

sourced from THE BBC


Sunday, 7 June 2009

NEW blog in development

[caption id="attachment_571" align="aligncenter" width="310" caption="allaboutgrub"]allaboutgrub[/caption]

Hi all, I have been developing a new blog please come and visit it





allaboutgrub.wordpress.com


 - this blog is all about food, ingredients and where to buy good quality food from - add a marker to my allaboutgrub map to tell others about great places to eat out or places to buy great food from -

"go on share your food experiences with others" 

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