London set to limit right to protest

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/172128.html

The British government has announced controversial plans to ban protestors from taking part in public gatherings following the weekend anti-cuts rallies, which were marred by violence.

Based on a proposal by Home Secretary Theresa May, the police may be given new powers to prevent so-called hooligans from attending rallies and marches while officers will also be authorized to force demonstrators, who do not want to be known, to remove their face-scarves and balaclavas.

The announcement has raised concerns among MPs who say no hasty decision should be made on the issue as the police may abuse the “stop and search” powers to target ordinary people rather than “known hooligans”.

May outlined her plans during an emergency Commons briefing on the violent incidents, which marred the Saturday rally organized by the Trades Union Congress.

May told the MPs that she is considering “banning orders” similar to those used against football hooligans for the demonstrators who police thinks may turn to violence.

She also said officers should force more protestors to remove their masks and balaclavas to help the police quickly identify participants in the rallies.

"Just as the police review their operational tactics, so the Home Office will review the powers available to the police. I have asked the police whether they need further powers to prevent violence before it occurs. I am willing to consider powers which would ban known hooligans from rallies and marches and I will look into the powers the police already have to force the removal of face-coverings and balaclavas,” May said.

While the Metropolitan Police earlier said it has charged 149 people out of more than 200 arrested during the Saturday rallies with various offenses, at least five people have lodged complaints with Scotland Yard about police violence against marchers.

The Met said on Monday that it has charged 138 people in connection with the sit-in at Fortnum & Mason luxury store for charges including aggravated trespass.

However, the UK Uncut, which organized the sit-in dismissed any claims that those participating in the Fortnum & Mason incident resorted to violence.

"This was not a protest by people wearing balaclavas and breaking things. It was a peaceful and mild-mannered gathering by people from all walks of life - teachers, hospital workers, charity workers,” said Tim Matthews, a spokesman for UK Uncut.

"People who took part now find themselves charged with a criminal offence simply for exercising their right to protest," he added.

This come as Tom Brake MP, co-chair of the Liberal Democrat parliamentary policy committee on home affairs, justice and equalities warned the government against “a knee-jerk reaction” to what happened.

"Clearly there was a small minority who were out to cause trouble. We need to look in detail into whether the police have sufficient powers to tackle that, or whether they can be deployed differently to ensure such violent scenes don't happen again," Brake said.

Britain jobless rate hits 17-year high

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/170358.html

The UK unemployment rate has reached a 17-year high, marking a rise to 8% in the first three months of this year, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The ONS report showed that the number of people out of work in the UK increased by 27,000 over the previous three months to 2.53 million in the three months to January 2011, the highest total since 1994.

Youth unemployment increased to record levels again in the last three months at a time when university tuition fees are skyrocketing, support to stay in further education is disappearing, and services to find employment, education or training are being hacked away.

The jobless rate for those aged from 16 to 24 increased by 0.8% to reach 20.6%, the highest figure since comparable records in 1992.

According to Unison general secretary Dave Prentis, the new figures further reveal “the Conservative-Liberal Democrats' vicious assault on the vulnerable people of the society.”

“The Con-Dem cuts had created an abandoned generation - collateral damage of the government's failing economic policy," said Prentis.

Meanwhile, the general secretary of public sector union GMB, Paul Kenny addressed the people before the national Trade Union Congress (TUC) demonstration in London on March 26.

“There was widespread revulsion that the government is deliberately adding to the dole queues at a time when the economy has not recovered from the 'bankers' recession,” Kenny said.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said that it was "outrageous" for Employment Minister Chris Grayling to boast about the increase of 32,000 people in work -- the highest rise since last autumn.

"The government's aloof response to mounting unemployment will give no confidence that it is committed to growth or it understands that not only is it stimulating unemployment, it is also stimulating a rise in insecure work,” said McCluskey.

Minister: petrol prices could hit £2

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/168317.html

A British government minister says continuation of the crisis in Libya and the countries in the wider region can shoot petrol prices up to £2 a liter.

Minister for International Development Alan Duncan said the escalation of tensions in Africa and the Middle East could lead to soaring crude prices well above the record high of $147 a barrel set in July 2008 to above $200.

“I've been saying in government for two months... $200 is in the cards if this goes wrong, if anyone is reckless and foments unrest. All I'm predicting is danger," Duncan told the Times.

The official added that if a situation is conceivable in which oil tankers and reserves in the Persian Gulf region are bombed by terrorists, then the prices could even hit the $250 level that would see petrol prices rise to £2.03 in Britain.

"It could be very serious. If crude oil doubles, you're going to have a very serious spike (in petrol prices). Try living without it for a week," the veteran oil trader said.

Duncan's warning comes as the government is under pressure even now that petrol prices stand at £1.30 a liter at the pump.

This is while Duncan said such prices could “look like a luxury” if the worst happens in North Africa and Middle East.

1,589 British lose job every day

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/168288.html

Over 1,500 British people lose their jobs every day due to the country's £1.4trillion debt in loans and mortgages, which is more than the national output.

According to the personal debt charity Credit Action, Britain's debt rose by £1.5billion in 2011, which caused 1,589 redundancies every day and 833,000 unemployed for a year or more. This means the country now owe more than the total national production.

Una Farrell, of the Consumer Credit Counselling Service, said: “I fear that it is only going to get worse as household budgets are subject to inflation, welfare benefit changes, likely interest rate rises and redundancy. This pain will not be felt evenly. Certain groups are likely to be squeezed more than others such as low and middle income earners and pensioners.”

There have been over 300 people declaring bankruptcy every day since the last quarter of 2009 and over 1,000 people seeking debt rescheduling. There also have been over 80 property repossessions every day.

Jo Davies, Credit Action spokesperson, brought up concerns over the 'tricky year' ahead. She believes as the cost of living is increasing due to the inflation, the spending cuts affect families' budgets severely.

Food prices have also been rising unreasonably rapid that it has forced the government to take action against grocers. According to Swiss bank UBS economists, the government needs to put pressure on supermarkets or food producers for the high food prices can make severe problems in the country.

Davies said: “Given that we know there are going to be many tax and benefit changes coming in this year it's going to be a combination of many different things that have an impact. Finding yourself worse off and having less money at the end of each month is going to be very problematic for people and they could find they have problems dealing with credit commitments.”

Anti-cuts protests spreading across UK

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/165333.html

The campaign against the British government's spending cuts is gathering momentum across the country with more protests planned for the coming weeks and months.

Members of the York Stop the Cuts group are advertising in leaflets the events they have set out to voice their anger against funding reductions.

Meanwhile, thousands of protesters have organized a noisy demonstration against the government's cuts program in Lewisham.

The demonstrations have been organized by Lewisham People Before Profit and Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance.

In Manchester, more than 500 people including families, students, and anti-cuts groups joined with local MP Gerald Kaufman in a protest against the Manchester council's decision to close a swimming pool as part of the government's plan to slash funding to public libraries, sport halls and Sure Trust centers.

In Middlesbrough, hundreds of people descended on the town center on Saturday to protest against the government's plan to cut funding to the Teesside.

This is while that researchers are warning that public spending cuts could spark a "brain drain" in the UK as graduates move elsewhere to get a job.

A study commissioned by the Work Foundation says graduate unemployment, which stands at 20 percent, was likely to rise as a direct result of the government's austerity measures.

This could see a "flight" of young graduates from areas such as the north of England, which are dependent on the public sector for jobs, warned the researchers working with the Work Foundation

100,000 British lost jobs in only 6 weeks

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/161705.html


More than hundred thousands of public jobs have been cut only in the last month, which has brought fear to the people in queues of job centers.

Dave Prentis, the Unison general secretary, said: "This dossier of Con-demned jobs makes very grim reading. Behind every statistic there are families desperate to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and the dignity of a decent job.

“With unemployment up to 2.5 million, the coalition's cuts are blighting lives and wrecking the country's chances of recovery. Sacking workers and closing down essential services will not put the economy back on its feet."

The cut jobs were among the Heart of England NHS Trust, council jobs in Hampshire and public jobs in East Sussex.

It is said that £20 billion NHS "efficiency savings" was gone into job losses.

There is also fear of NHS services to become low quality. The high rate of deaths at Mid Staffordshire Hospital Foundation Trust showed that the staffing ward had been of high importance.

Regarding the high record of youth unemployment, Prentis said: "Getting the right help can make or break the future of young people desperately trying to find their feet, as well as workers made redundant struggling to retrain."

He also asked the government to take an "alternative political vision to boost economic recovery" and that the bankers "who continue to rake in their bonuses" should be fined rather than ordinary people.

British jobless figures reach 2.5 million mark

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160911.html


Britain's unemployment figures have increased by 49,000 to 2.5 million mark, setting a record for the number of jobless youths, new figures revealed.

Latest figures show that one in 5 people aged between 16 to 24 are now unemployed, British media reported.

The figures also indicate an increase of 32,000 in the number of jobless to 951,000 in the third quarter, which is the highest figure since records began in 1992.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a report that less people are being given a job, redundancies are mounting as well and the number of people classed as economically inactive has reached 9.3 million.

The ONS has calculated an unemployment rate of 20.3 percent for 16 to 24-year-olds in the country.

The inactivity rate is now 23.4 percent after an 89,000 increase in the number of people classed as economically inactive, including students, those looking after a sick relative and people who have given up looking for a job, the report said.

"These figures serve to underline the scale of the challenge we face. We inherited the largest budget deficit in peacetime history and high levels of joblessness, which we are determined to bring down by rebalancing the economy and supporting private sector jobs growth”, said Employment Minister Chris Grayling.