News round up: Public sector workers desert Labour

Public sector workers desert Labour

Labour’s traditional supporters are deserting the party in “droves”, with public sector workers joining the “exodus”, a new poll suggests.
Research for Unison showed that almost half of supporters who have regularly voted Labour are now less likely to support the party.
Read more on this story in The Daily Telegraph

Minimum alcohol price to curb binge drinkers

A minimum price could be set for a unit of alcohol in England and Wales under plans being examined by government to curb binge drinking.

The price floor is one of the more likely outcomes from the long-running cross-Whitehall policy review on how to change behaviour through price mechanisms or restrictions on promotions and advertising.

Read more on this story in The Financial Times

Disputes over public sector pay could bring down Brown – unions

The government was last night heading for a clash with public sector workers after the leader of one of the country’s biggest trade unions said disputes over pay could bring down Gordon Brown.

As the chancellor, Alistair Darling, used his first Mansion House speech last night to try to allay City fears that Labour had become less pro-business in the past year, the prospect emerged of a bitter battle with public sector workers over low pay.

Read more on this story in The Guardian

Lap-dancing clubs face tougher laws after outcry

Tough new controls on lap-dancing clubs are planned by the Government following the outcry over their rapid proliferation across the country.

The Independent disclosed yesterday that 50 Labour MPs were demanding that ministers closed a planning loophole that forced councils to treat the clubs in the same way as cafes.
Read more on this story in The Independent

Law lords reject plans to protect witnesses from gang retaliation

A key government plan to crack down on Britain’s gang culture by granting anonymity to threatened witnesses was in disarray last night after top judges ruled that such protection could make a trial unfair.

Read more on this story in The Times 

Sick betrayal of support group

Campaigners reacted furiously last night after a support group for victims of paedophiles closed for lack of state cash – while one for paedophiles was backed by taxpayers.

Shy Keenan, of abused children’s group Phoenix Survivors, said they were promised crucial funding by home secretary Jacqui Smith – but never got a penny.

She was shocked when The Sun told her yesterday how Circles UK, which helps sex offenders “reintegrate” into society, receives £164,000 a year from the Ministry of Justice.

Read more on this story in The Sun

Barristers ‘exploiting misery’ as fees in family law cases rise 25% in five years

Barristers have been making millions of extra pounds from the misery of families and children caught up in the family courts, according to new figures released by ministers yesterday.

Fees paid out of taxpayer-funded legal aid to barristers in family court cases have gone up by almost a third in five years and have now reached nearly £100million a year, they showed.

Read more on this story in The Daily Mail