The Birmingham Post (England) back issues from October 2008:
Cameron is 'all ready to make difficult and unpopular decisions'.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jonathan Walker Political Editor David Cameron will today warn he is ready to make "difficult and unpopular" decisions if he becomes Prime Minister while Britain faces a huge budget deficit and a crumbling economy. He will insist he is ready to lead the ...
Birmingham faces having to deal with cultural clashes.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jonathan Walker Political Editor Birmingham City Council will increasingly be forced to deal with "cultural clashes" between people of different ethnic groups or religions, Conservatives have warned. The possibility for conflict will increase as the city ...
Top regional TV names could disappear in news shake-up.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Some of the biggest names in regional news could disappear from our screens as ITV axes 61 jobs and presses ahead with its plans to merge news programmes in the West and East Midlands. Staff across ITV Central's Birmingham and Nottingham bases, including Central Tonight anchors ...
Scramble in US to bring in changes on failed bail-out.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... US Congressional leaders, with advice from their parties' presidential nominees, scrambled yesterday to find out what changes are needed to sell the failed EUR700 billion dollar financial system bailout to rank-and-file members. John McCain and Barack Obama offered long-distance ...
PM rejects calls for cast iron guarantee on all UK savings.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday rejected calls for the Government to guarantee all savings and repeated his pledge to do "whatever is necessary" to get Britain through the global financial turmoil. He insisted that the UK was in a "far stronger position financially than ...
Administrators axe 750 jobs in Lehman Brothers' European arm.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Around 750 jobs were axed yesterday by the administrators of collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers' European arm. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said the "majoritwy" of the job losses were in London, and blamed the cull on "the necessary restructuring" of the unit following ...
Conservatives pledge to axe AWM; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jonathan Walker Political Editor Advantage West Midlands, the pounds 300 million Government quango created to boost the region's economy, is set to be axed under a Conservative government. Its powers will be transferred to local authorities, which will be ...
It's the greenest and busiest conference Britain's ever seen; TORIES.(News)(Conference news)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Paul Dale Public Affairs Editor Birmingham is hosting the country's busiest and greenest political conference. With a day left to run, a record 11,000 passes have been issued to Tory representatives and the media. It's the highest attendance ...
Birmingham's alive and well - and it's great to be here; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... David Cameron has praised Birmingham as a great conference city and reported that Tory activists at his annual gathering had been impressed with the regeneration of the city centre. The Conservative leader made the remarks as he opened the Benjamin Stone collection, an ...
The ICC debate - from the blogs; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Jonathan Walker - Birmingham Wins The Conference Battle The ICC is vastly superior to any of the other conference venues used by the major parties. I've been here before many times, but only to cover specific events - listening to a speech and heading straight back to the office ...
UK's heritage? That'll be Britain's Got Talent, says Jones; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jane Tyler A Small Heath-born millionaire caused a stir at the conference when he said the TV show Britain's Got Talent represented Britishness far better than our centuries of history. Would-be Tory MP Wilfred Emmanuel Jones said the ITV talent show ...
Redwood talks of desperate desire to cut back on taxes; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... David Cameron and George Osborne "desperately" want to cut taxes, a leading Tory MP said. John Redwood, who chaired the Tory leader's commission on economic competitiveness, said the duo were more committed to lower taxes than they have pledged in detail so far. The ...
Prisoners must earn freedom in place of set early release; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... The Tories announced plans to scrap the automatic early release of prisoners and instead introduce a system of earned release. Prisoners on fixed-term sentences are automatically released after serving half their sentence - but the Conservatives said this "betrays the victims of ...
American development zone idea urged for Birmingham; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Paul Dale Public Affairs Editor The Government is being urged to adopt American-style funding regimes to unlock a multi-million pound regeneration package for Birmingham. City Council leaders and the Chamber of Commerce are backing radical proposals to use ...
Independent state schools 'will be norm' TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... The Tories set out plans to slash red tape in education and create hundreds of independent state schools. Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said under the Conservatives academies would become the norm for secondary education. He said: "Comprehensive schools are in ...
Backing for 'have-a-go' heroes and pledge to cut back red tape; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... The Tories yesterday announced plans to back 'have-a-go' heroes prepared to intervene when they see crimes being committed on the streets. Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve told the party's conference: "It's our duty to help, not hinder active citizens." Reeling ...
pounds 43m promise to boost sport at grassroots; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A pounds 43 million boost for grassroots sport was promised by the Tories by switching National Lottery funding. Shadow culture secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was a "tragedy" that Lottery spending on community sport had more than halved since 1997. Accusing ministers ...
Cameron pledges help to resolve crisis; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jonathan Walker Political Editor David Cameron has pledged to work in partnership with Gordon Brown to support the Government as it deals with the mounting financial crisis, as he spoke to The Birmingham Post. The Conservative leader revealed that he broke ...
Centre stage for project to rid deprived estate of social ills; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jane Tyler The leader of a project to rid a deprived Birmingham estate of its bad image took centre stage at the Tory conference. Youth worker Simon Jay who heads up the We Love Welsh House Farm Action Project (We Love WHF), told delegates how the scheme ...
Angry victims confront Cherie Blair on Human Rights; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Angry victims of crime confronted Cherie Blair over her support for the Human Rights Act yesterday. Mrs Blair, a part-time judge, top QC and wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, was shouted down after insisting that the legislation was "part of the solution" to crime. ...
UK aid to China must stop, says Mitchell; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jonathan Walker Political Editor Birmingham MP Andrew Mitchell will today announce that a Conservative Government will stop giving aid to China. The Shadow International Development Secretary will tell Tories at the International Convention Centre that ...
Concerns over just how climate change is hitting developing world; TORIES.(News)(Conference notes)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Patrice John Environment Correspondent There was a greener hue to the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham as delegates debated how climate change is set to change the developing world. Shadow Environment Minister Greg Barker, Oxfam chief executive ...
Emergency Debate means it's back to dull business as usual; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Paul Dale A frisson of excitement flew round the ICC early yesterday. There was to be an Emergency Debate on the global financial crisis. The days of such things happening in wellregulated conferences are long gone. Labour used to be famous for ...
Conservatives set out to offer counselling before marriage; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A future Tory administration would expand the system of health visitors and offer counselling to couples about to get married, the party said yesterday. Shadow children, schools and families secretary Michael Gove said he wanted to offer "practical, human-centred" measures to ...
Scheme to stop benefits if jobs turned down; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Unemployed people who turn down job offers three times will be banned from claiming benefits for three years under Tory proposals set out yesterday. Shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling said the state should "help people who are helping themselves". ...
Grandees talk of advantage of directly elected mayors; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Neil Elkes Tory grandees Lord Hestletine and Steven Norris outlined a bright future for Birmingham and the UK's major cities - as long as they embrace directly elected mayors and are cut free from Government interference. The former Deputy Prime Minister ...
Food for much thought at fringe; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A Conservative Government must answer the problem of soaring food prices and the cost to the environment if it is to be successful a conference fringe meeting has heard. Environmentalists joined Tory party members, farmers representatives and supermarket bosses for a debate on ...
Cameron warns over Salmond hopes; TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Tory leader David Cameron yesterday warned Scotland's First Minister the SNP's Alex Salmond not to assume the election of a Conservative government would fuel demands for Scottish independence. Mr Cameron pledged to work "with anyone in Scotland" who wanted to preserve the ...
Crackdown on bosses under paying minimum; EMPLOYMENT TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... The Government is planning a fresh crackdown on bosses who fail to pay the national minimum wage, ministers announced today as the latest increase in the statutory rate came into effect. The hourly rate for adult workers increases from pounds 5.52 to pounds 5.73 today, while for ...
Rape victims still owed compensation; VICTIMS TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Many rape victims who were incorrectly given reduced compensation because they had been drinking have still not claimed their full pay-outs, according to figures released by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) yesterday. Last month the authority began to reassess ...
Sats debacle delays performance tables; EDUCATION TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... This summer's Sats fiasco has delayed the publication of performance tables for primary schools, it was revealed yesterday. League tables ranking the performance of primary schools across England are usually published in December but have been delayed until March. ...
Guarantee on savings essential, says Clegg; FINANCE TORIES.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A "cast-iron guarantee" that savings are safe from the "state of emergency" in the global banking system is vital, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said yesterday. Mr Clegg, who spoke to Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday night to offer his co-operation in finding urgent ...
CBSO recording most popular classical track in last 30 years.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Terry Grimley Arts Editor A recording featuring the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and former music director Sakari Oramo has been voted the most popular classical recording of the last 30 years. The complete Saint-Saens Piano Concertos with pianist ...
Bomb disposal hero has full military funeral.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Mourners watched in silence yesterday as the Union Jack-draped coffin of a Warwickshire Army bomb disposal expert was carried into church by members of his regiment. Warrant Officer Class 2 Gary O'Donnell died in an explosion in Afghanistan earlier this month, as he attempted to ...
Gurkhas win right to settle in Britain.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Gurkhas won their court battle yesterday for the right to settle in Britain. Lawyers for the men who fought alongside British troops in battles over 200 years said: "Today we have seen a tremendous and historic victory for the gallant Gurkha veterans. "This is a ...
Most children in Ladywood 'are struggling to get by'.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Some 81 per cent of children in the Birmingham Ladywood constituency live in poverty or come from families struggling on low incomes, according to research. Within Ladywood, the ward of Aston has 87 per cent of youngsters struggling to get by, the Campaign to End Child Poverty ...
Accused denies murder of football fan hit by car; DEATH.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A man has denied the murder of a football fan who was struck by a car following a Premier League derby match in Birmingham. Lee Mockble, 20, is accused of killing Aston Villa supporter Christopher Priest on April 20. During a brief hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court ...
Six charged over crash; DEATH.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Six men have been charged and are due to appear in court in connection with the death of a man in a road collision in Wolverhampton. West Midlands Police said Stainton Barrett, 59, died after a car was driven at him in the city on Saturday at 5.15am in Banstead Close, All ...
Lichfield man stabbed; DEATH.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A 44-year-old man has died after being stabbed in the chest in Staffordshire. The man was found in the street after police and paramedics were called to Burwaye Close, Lichfield, in the early hours of yesterday. The man, who was from Lichfield, was ...
Bold vision for future of seaside pier.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By Jamie Grierson, Press Association A shortlist of redevelopment plans for an historic pier were revealed yesterday, just eight weeks after the seaside landmark was destroyed by fire. Six architect firms have entered designs into a competition to win the ...
Three men held over murder of 'caring, kind, considerate' father and banker.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Three men were arrested yesterday in connection with the murder of a banker allegedly set upon after remonstrating with a gang attacking a homeless man. Father-of-two Frank McGarahan, 45, of Much Hadham, Herts, died in hospital on Monday after being injured in central Norwich in ...
RSPCA suspects copy-cat killer could be on the prowl in Weston.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A "copy-cat" killer is feared to have taken the total of poisoned cats in two neighbouring towns to 28, the RSPCA said. Some 19 felines have died after drinking anti-freeze in Bridgwater, Somerset, in the last five months. Now, in the last fortnight, nine cats have ...
Sacked executive jailed for strangling colleague who caught him stealing.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... A sacked executive was yesterday jailed for life for throttling a former colleague who caught him stealing computers from the office where they had worked together. Cathy Marlow, 28, was strangled with a scarf her mother had knitted for her after coming in on a Saturday to catch ...
Scores killed as pilgrims trampled in temple stampede; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... At least 168 people were killed and 100 injured when thousands of pilgrims stampeded yesterday at a Hindu temple in the historic town of Jodhpur in western India, officials said. Severe overcrowding apparently caused the crush as more than 12,000 people gathered at the temple to ...
Pirates deny 'civil war' over cargo of tanks and weapons; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: By David Johnson Civil war broke out yesterday amid a gang of Somali pirates holding a ship full of tanks and other weapons, leaving three of them dead. American warships have surrounded the Ukrainian cargo ship Faina which is anchored off the lawless coast of ...
Unilever recalls milk product in scare; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Anglo-Dutch company Unilever said it was recalling some of its Lipton-brand milk tea powder in Hong Kong and Macau after they were found to contain traces of an industrial chemical. Unilever Hong Kong said in a statement yesterday that internal test results have found four ...
Mother held after bodies of young children found frozen in freezer; INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... An American mother is suspected of killing her two adopted daughters and storing their bodies in the household freezer. Police in Maryland were investigating an abuse complaint regarding a third, surviving, child when they discovered the remains encased in ice. The ...
Murder suspects held in series of raids on Mafia; ITALY INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Scores of suspected Mafia members were arrested in a series of raids by Italian police yesterday including three top men linked to the murder of six immigrants earlier this month. The operation in Naples and surrounding areas, where the Camorra crime syndicate is based, also ...
Pot bellied dolphins on low fat diet; JAPAN INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Dolphins at a Japanese aquarium are on a low fat diet after developing pot bellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances. Kinosaki Marine World in western Japan said that all its 19 dolphins have been on a low fat diet since late August, when they started ...
No action over novel; AMERICA INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... The publisher of a controversial novel about the Prophet Mohammed closed its NewYork offices as a "precautionary action". But Beaufort Books said no threats had been received and that The Jewel of Medina"would be released ...
Sudden illness strikes down Janet Jackson; CANADA INTERNATIONAL.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Singer Janet Jackson was in hospital yesterday after falling ill shortly before a concert. According to statement released by W&W Public Relations, the singer cancelled her concert in Montreal, Canada, on Monday after she "got ...
Make no mistake, Davis won't just be lying doggo on backbenches; AGENDA.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: CHRIS MONCRIEFF David Davis, the former shadow Home Secretary who resigned from Parliament over civil rights issues and fought his way back in a by-election, has absolutely no intentions of lying doggo on the backbenches. As the Tory Party conference proceeds ...
Keeping a sense of proportion over genuine electoral reform; Electoral reform and first past the post - what's in it for the Tories? Chris Game launches the debate AGENDA.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Chris Game Here's a quick test, especially for any Conservatives at this week's conference. Which future Conservative leader, shortly after the turn of the century, delivered the following speech apparently advocating electoral reform? 'The present system has ...
Churches well placed to offer more than just spiritual healing.(Features)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: BISHOP WEBLEY Places of worship can be an additional resource in the fight to tackle health inequalities within the West Midlands. During a recent discussion with a friend allied to the healthcare industry, it became apparent that churches and other places of ...
Letter: Return to mutual values to end the mayhem of banking sector.(Letters)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Coun Michael Wilkes Dear Editor, The latest Government intervention to prevent the collapse of Bradford & Bingley ends the sorry saga of former building societies that ill advisedly threw away their trusted mutual status. If only it would also bring to an end ...
Letter: Hunt-loving Cameron should not become Prime Minister.(Letters)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Judi Hewitt Dear Editor, David Cameron can spout off all he likes about how wonderful his party is, but I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. For a start, he has no policies of his own and he's a hunter. How can anyone trust a man who was chosen ...
Letter: Supplement was a timely boost for region.(Letters)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Steve Kirkham Dear Editor, Congratulations on your timely supplement "100 Great Things about the West Midlands"! All right, I wouldn't have included the M6 Toll road or private schools at the expense of the Birmingham Chinatown or Gay Village areas, but then ...
Letter: It's vital that small business plan ahead for when recovery comes.(Letters)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Wyn Mears Dear Editor, As the impact of the credit crunch continues to be felt across the country, one of the key questions for the economy is how small businesses can remain confident about their future prospects The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) ...
Letter: Survival of Post Offices in balance.(Letters)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: S T Vaughan Dear Editor, Post Offices can survive but only if they are allowed to, because what has happened is Post Offices have been sabotaged by political espionage. The removal of contracts, pensions and other services have left the Post Offices at a ...
THE BIRMINGHAM POST: Tories must explain where Shires fit in.(Leaders)
Oct 01, 2008 ... The future of Advantage West Midlands hangs in the balance after Conservatives indicated it is set for the chop. Eric Pickles, the Shadow Local Government Secretary, did point out that the Tories are still putting the finishing touches to their policy, which has not yet been ...
THE BIRMINGHAM POST: Embrace ADZs.(Leaders)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Government plans to allow councils to levy additional rates in order to pay for regeneration projects are never likely to win widespread support among the business community. Memories of the 1970s and 1980s, when local authorities failed to live within their means and extracted huge sums ...
THE BIRMINGHAM POST: Aid decision.(Leaders)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Most people will be surprised to learn that the United Kingdom hands pounds 38 million a year to China in the form of economic aid. There might, just, have been an argument to support such generosity 20 years ago. But China, the fastest growing Far Eastern economy, ...
REVIEW: An introduction to the counter culture; The Corner Shop The Public, West Bromwich ****.(News)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Terry Grimley The corner shop was a part of the fabric of urban life in Britain long before it acquired the close identification with the Asian community which has characterised it in recent decades. Now apparently in its final retreat in the face of the ...
Culture: York aims for lofty Heights; Theatre Susannah York tells Alison Jones why she's always had a soft spot for the Brontes.(Features)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: Alison Jones Susannah York won't be troubling the wardrobe, hair and make up departments much when she stars in the new production of Wuthering Heights at Birmingham Rep. Even though the story covers several decades, Susannah wears only one costume throughout ...
Culture: It's all kicking off over in Peebles; JOHN SLIM'S AMATEUR THEATRE.(Features)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Byline: JOHN SLIM The Council of the National Operatic & Dramatic Association (NODA) stirred up a hornets' nest at its conference in Peebles in its efforts to reduce the costs of its annual gathering. The National Weekend traditionally takes place in the region ...