The Tories may be finally wising up.........
Economy slump 'would help Tories' BBC 1st Oct
Departing Tory leader Michael Howard said he believes only an economic slump can return the Conservatives to power. Mr Howard said the state of the economy was central to overthrowing Labour at the next general election.
In an interview in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Howard said it was hard for the opposition to win when people were 'relatively content'.
He was speaking ahead of the Tory annual conference, where the leadership contest is expected to step up.
He told the paper: "When most people are relatively content with their economic lot, it is very hard for an opposition to win elections.
"I don't want the economy to go down the pan - I care about the country and I don't want anybody to go through any economic difficulties.
"But in terms of party politics, you have to face the fact that it is difficult - maybe not impossible, but difficult - for an opposition to win an election when most people feel relatively content."
If its all down to the economy then it looks like the Tories may be in with a chance. Britain is heading for a recession.
Here's some of the job losses and other economic gloom announced just yesterday :
Friday, September 30, 2005
Scotsman: Insurers fear tax rule could send jobs to India OFFSHORING jobs to India may become more widespread among insurance companies next
year unless the government acts to prevent a new tax rule, the industry
body has warned.The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has urged the
government to delay the introduction of VAT on outsourced insurance services, which it says could increase the industry's tax burden by more than £200 million a year. The ruling will only apply to outsourcing within Europe, meaning insurance companies will have more incentive to explore low-cost economies such as India. "It is not good news for UK plc," the ABI said. "It is more likely that outsourced services will move outside Europe."
ManchesterOnline: Cheshire to axe HQ jobs CHESHIRE Building Society is to axe up to 70 head office posts and close four branches in a drive to
save more than £2m a year. Chief executive Karen McCormick announced the changes following a review launched when she took over the role on a permanent basis last month.
Icliverpool: 500 jobs at risk in glass fight A LEGAL challenge that could put 500 new glass factory jobs in Ellesmere Port in jeopardy began yesterday in the High Court. Irish-based Quinn Glass this year completed the construction of Europe's largest glass making factory at the former Ince Power Station.
Just-Auto.com: Pressings plant axes 70 Welsh workers Up to 70 jobs will
go within a month at Krupp Camford Pressings in Llanelli, Wales, after it lost a major order from Volkswagen. Around 165 staff remain at the plant and virtually all production is now for Land Rover, with some additional work for Bentley, another VW Group company.
Ananova: Chocolate Factory Broken Up The famous home of Terry's chocolates has been closed. More than 300 jobs are to go at the plant in York, which is now owned by Kraft Foods International. The site on Bishopthorpe Road has been making chocolate confectionery since 1926 and recently produced 20,000 tonnes of chocolate each year for the domestic and international market.
Reuters: ADC says to cut jobs in England, Scotland Communications equipment maker ADC Telecommunications Inc. (ADCT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday it would cut about 150 jobs in England and Scotland as part of a move to lower manufacturing costs.
PRW.com: Symphony to cut jobs due to low margins Degradable plastics company Symphony Plastic Technologies is to cut jobs and review directors' salaries in response to low sales and margins. The planned cuts follow a review of the firm's strategy, it said this morning when launching its first half figures
ThisisMoney: BA job cuts 'in the thousands' A STAFF cull at British Airways, likely to run to the loss of thousands of jobs under new chief
executive Willie Walsh, is to kick off with secret plans to axe 500 baggage handlers and cargo loaders - workers who played a major role in
this summer's Gate Gourmet fiasco.
Scotsman: Uniq to axe up to 90 jobs as overhaul continues UNIQ, the convenience food giant, today revealed that up to 90 jobs in Britain will be cut as it shakes its business in the midst of difficult trading
conditions. The overhaul comes in the wake of the arrival last month of
new chief executive Geoff Eaton and the loss of 100 UK jobs in May after the firm saw annual losses widen to £70.6 million, from £15.6m.
BBC NEWS | England | Hampshire | 350 jobs go as final ferry sails The final cross-channel ferry is setting sail between Portsmouth and Le Havre on Friday as 350 jobs are lost.
BBC NEWS | RAC call centre staff cut by half Two hundred jobs are to go
from the RAC's call centres in Bristol by the end of the year. The work
is being transferred to India as part of the company's rationalisation plans which were announced earlier this year.
Leamington Spa Today: 200 staff left without pay as book company faces crisis More than 200 people have been forced to search for new jobs after distribution firm Books for Students went into administration.
TheBusinessEDP24: More jobs to go at Bernard Matthews Turkey producer Bernard Matthews yesterday announced a restructuring of the company with the loss of up to 110 jobs. The Norfolk-based company faces increasing competition from low-cost food producers based in the Far East and South America. At the same time, profit margins are being squeezed by major supermarkets and other outlets, which aim to pay less
for its products.
Reuters: Consumer confidence falls unexpectedly Consumer confidence unexpectedly fell further in September to its lowest level in almost a year, pulled down by an increasingly pessimistic outlook for the economy, a report showed on Friday. Consultancy GfK Martin Hamblin said
its confidence barometer fell to -5 from -4 in August. That was the lowest reading since October 2004, when it was -6. Analysts had predicted the index would remain at -4.
ThisisMoney: First timers get raw deals FIRST-TIME home buyers who cannot stump up a large deposit are being hit with a double blow of huge fees and higher interest rates by some leading lenders.
Independent: Ford to ditch half its suppliers in massive cost-cutting plan Ford Motor unveiled a sweeping shake-up of its relationship with its business partners yesterday, saying it would cut its number of suppliers in half and sign long-term contracts with the rest to try to shave billions from its costs.
Independent: Nationwide says house prices fall for second month in a row House prices fell for the second consecutive month in September, taking the annual rate of increase below inflation for the first time in more than nine years, figures showed yesterday.
TimesOnline: Poor growth 'due to public sector' INEFFICIENCY in the public sector was blamed by City economists yesterday for a drop in a key measure of Britain's productivity growth to its lowest since present records began in the early 1990s. Official data gave a mixed picture of Britain's productivity performance. But critics of the Government's economic record seized on a new low for productivity growth measured by output per hour worked.