Tabloid headline of the day

Haven't done this for some time but this is the Express is quite topical what with yesterday's news on the economy and the PM advising us on food this week

SECURITY TAGS ON CHICKENS TO FOIL THIEVES says the paper

CHICKEN rustling is alive and well in Britain’s supermarkets.
The problem is so great that one retailer has begun putting security tags on all its chickens.
As food prices soar and family ­budgets are squeezed ever tighter, ­poultry has become a prime target for shoplifters.
This has forced Sainsbury’s to tag the Sunday lunch favourites with the sort of security devices usually reserved for expensive Champagnes and spirits or high-value clothing

I'm sure this is serious but I can't help but see the funny side

Is the Daily Express on the same planet?

I havent had much cause to mention the Express on this blog for a while,the paper showing signs that since the Madeleine apology that it is trying to concentrate on serious reporting.

However this mornings front page which tells us that

THE country began its recovery from the credit crunch last night as the economy showed the first significant signs of improving.
After weeks of gloom, compounded by fears over falling house prices, rising food bills and soaring fuel costs, markets finally began to rally, offering the promise of financial relief for millions.
Shares ended a miserable period on the stock market, finishing on a four-month high, up 52.5 points on the day. At one point the FTSE 100 index soared to its highest peak this year, and by the end of trading £13billion had been added to the value of our top quoted companies.

Ok,oil prices at $127 a barrel,inflation 3.0% and rising,employment levels falling,house prices falling

First National paper strike for 18 years

It looks now highly likely that tomorrow will see the first national newspaper strike for 18 years.

Workers at Express newspapers will walkout in the first of three 24 hour stoppages tomorrow after printers rejected ae 3% pay increase.

According to media Guardian

Express Newspapers has released a statement to editorial staff defending its handling of pay negotiations and saying it regrets the "extreme measure" of industrial action

According to Press Gazette

NUJ general secretary, Jeremy Dear, said: “Our members are standing firm in their resolve to fight for a fair deal. This strike is about low pay and broken promises. It’s incredible that management at Express Newspapers are forcing their journalists into taking this action.

For today's journalism students,national newspaper strikes are unknown but the industry suffered from a wave of industrial arrest during the 1970's and early 80's.

In 1955 all papers were off the stands for a month after a maintenance workers strike.The Times failed to appear for 11 months at the end of the 70's.

Strikes became rare after Murdoch's move to Wapping and Eddie Shah's new business practices.By 1989 all the main papers had moved out of fleet street

Express and Star apologise to the McCanns

It is probably unprecedented that two National newspapers make a public apology on their front pages to the same people on the same day.

Roy Greenslade says

I know that The Sun famously carried two front page apologies in the 1980s - to the Queen for running her Christmas address ahead of time and to Elton John for libelling him - but four papers being compelled to carry the same apology has never happened before.

This morning the Express and the Star apologise to the McCann's for what it believed to be over 100 articles that accussed the couple of being involved in the disapperance of their daughter.

The Express says

The Daily Express today takes the unprecedented step of making a front-page apology to Kate and Gerry McCann.
We do so because we accept that a number of articles in the newspaper have suggested that the couple caused the death of their missing daughter Madeleine and then covered it up.
We acknowledge that there is no evidence whatsoever to support this theory and that Kate and Gerry are completely innocent of any involvement in their daughter's disappearance.
We trust that the suspicion that has clouded their lives for many months will soon be lifted.
As an expression of its regret, the Daily Express has now paid a very substantial sum into the Madeleine Fund and we promise to do all in our power to help efforts to find her.
Kate and Gerry, we are truly sorry to have added to your distress.
We assure you that we hope Madeleine will one day be found alive and well and will be restored to her loving family.

The Star says

The Daily Star today makes a wholehearted apology to Kate and Gerry McCann for stories suggesting the couple were responsible for, or may be responsible for, the death of their daughter Madeleine and for covering it up.
We now recognise that such a suggestion is absolutely untrue and that Kate and Gerry are completely innocent of any involvement in their daughter's disappearance.

Of course,these papers were not the only ones to point the finger of blame at the family,therefore these warning shots may be only the first step in the battle

Express watch

Obviously bored with the Maddy case,not interested in the Diana inquest and fed up with financial meltdown the Express' front page returns to its usual stomping ground this morning

A RECORD 1.3million Poles travelled to Britain last year, it emerged last night.
The official figures immediately provoked condemnation of the Government’s failure to monitor the country’s borders.
The influx was more than six times the number who arrived in 2002, two years before Poland joined the EU and its citizens were granted the right to live and work in Britain.

The return of Maddie Mania

Both the News of the World and the Express lead this Sunday morning with Maddy stories.

By far the more significant,the NOW has an artists impression of a suspect based on

new sensational clues

that the paper has unearthed.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/2001_maddie.shtml

These amount to

Granny Gail Cooper, 50, was staying just 600 YARDS from the McCann family's Portuguese holiday flat when she had THREE separate chilling encounters with the moustachioed mystery man.

Quite why it has taken so long for this to come to light is rather baffling,though the paper maintains

Mrs Cooper rang police on May 7 and gave a statement at her home on May 21 she heard no more. But it is now clear how important her account—and the facial likeness built from it—may be.

Perhaps far more worrying is the front Page of the Sunday Express which reports that the pressure over the last few months on the McCann's

THE lives of Kate and Gerry McCann are moving in “opposite directions” because they have developed strikingly different ways of coping with the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine.

Not surprising really but is it really necessary to inform us of this? The story seems to have come from an amalgaman of comments from family sources.,close friends and neighbours.

The mental and emotional agony they’re going through is unbearable,” said another friend. “We worry that’s it’s putting a strain on their relationship.”

Yes and........

'fake sheikh' strikes again and Express reveals plot ot kill the Queen

Two good stories in the Sunday's to get tongues wagging

This mornings News of the World carries an exclusve by Mazher Mahmood that the father of Liverpool footballer,

is the evil muscle-bound boss of a seedy crack den.The man credited with guiding the £6.7million Liverpool star to success runs the secret drugs empire at his sleazy council flat.
We filmed Gary Pennant there selling cheap rocks of killer cocaine and deadly heroin as a constant stream of addicts and prostitutes shambled in.

The Express meanwhile claims

AL Qaeda terrorists posing as TV crews planned to blow up the Queen by smuggling explosives into last year’s Commonwealth summit.
Two huge outside broadcast vans belonging to the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation were seized after a tip-off from intelligence agents.
As a result, UBC was unable to transmit live pictures of key summit events, including the Queen’s historic address to the Ugandan parliament on November 22.

Express Watch

The Express leaves us in doubt about what it feels about the Lisbon treaty and its feelings for Gordon Brown

GRINNING Gordon Brown sold Britain out to Europe last night by agreeing to a massive expansion of Brussels power.
Despite having promised the British people a referendum, the Prime Minister put his signature to a new EU treaty without seeking the consent of the public.

How the papers report the same news

For a really good analysis of the news values of our nationals,this morning's reports on Government's Migration Impact Forum

All report it,but concentrate on different ways on what they believe is its impact.

I have produced the first three paragraphs of the reports below


Guardian

Migrants are more skilled and often more reliable and hardworking than British workers, and are fuelling the country's economic growth to the tune of £6bn a year, according to the first official study of their impact published yesterday.
The report for the government's Migration Impact Forum also concludes that migrants on average earn more and so pay more tax than UK workers.

Times

Migrants are more reliable and harder working than British-born workers and are boosting economic output by £6 billion a year, according to a government study published yesterday.
Immigrants have a better work ethic than the British and are willing to work longer hours with less time off sick. Weekly mean earnings of migrants are also £60 higher than their UK counterparts.
But while large numbers of migrants bring overall economic benefits, their arrival may be hitting the wage levels of the unskilled, the study found.

Telegraph

Immigrant workers are both higher paid and more reliable than their British counterparts and contributed £6 billion to economic growth last year, a Government study said yesterday.
Migrants earned £424 a week on average, compared with £395 for UK workers, and paid more in tax than they consumed in services.
However, a separate paper issued together with the study by the Home Office admitted there were complaints about the impact of immigration on housing and other public services. Liam Byrne, the immigration minister, said the research showed that ''in the long run, our country and Exchequer are better off with immigration rather than without it".

Independent

Migrant workers contributed £6 billion to the country's economic growth last year and earned higher wages than their British counterparts, Home Office figures revealed yesterday.
The study concluded that new arrivals were harder-working, brought sought-after skills and paid more in tax than they used in public services.

Mail

Immigrants are placing a huge strain on public services, Labour finally admitted last night.
Crime is up, schools are struggling to cope with Eastern European children, community tensions are rising, health services are coming under enormous pressure and house prices are being driven up, the Government said.
The findings, based on a survey of public sector workers, are the first published by ministers after ten years of an 'open door' immigration policy.

Express

Many UK regions have reported concerns about the impact of immigration on housing, crime and health, according to a study on migrants from eastern Europe.
Feedback from the Government's regional co-ordination groups, to be presented to the Migration Impact Forum (MIF) in Whitehall, said migrants are putting pressure on the housing market and driving up rents, creating increased demand on GPs and contributing to tensions in the community.

Sun

LABOUR admitted last night that mass immigration strained our housing, schools and healthcare.
Immigration minister Liam Byrne said the influx had been “unsettling” for some areas.
And he admitted removing exit checks was a “mistake” – as now we do not know how many illegal immigrants are here.
He said the checks would be started again.
His comments came as a Home Office report revealed migrants boosted the economy by £6billion last year

Interesting.Only the Times led with the story,but the Guardian covered it on its second front page piece.Both those papers concentrated on the benefits in their openings,but the Times brings a negative effect on wage levels.The Indy was similar in its positive outlok as was the Telegraph which also introduced the second report on the impact on housing and public services.

Then to the red tops,no sign of the report in the Mirror,the Sun leading with the negatives as did the Express and the Mail which made no mention of the positives.

Surprising,not really

Mail and Express look forward to Hips

With the Home Information packs about to launch the Middle England papers are leading with an attack on the legislation.

The Mail claiming

The new Home Information Pack scheme will be used to raise council tax through a "stealth" revaluation, it has been claimed.
The Tories accused ministers of preparing to use data gathered by assessors compiling the new reports to revalue homes and increase bills.

Whereas the Express warns

THE housing market will be plunged into chaos this week when the controversial home information packs are introduced.
Both home buyers and sellers face confusion amid warnings that the packs will push up the cost of moving and hit property prices.
With interest rates rising and house price increases already slowing, estate agents fear that the new packs – which come into force on Wednesday – will inflict serious damage on the property market.

Where are you Andy Coulson?

Amongst all the flood coverage in the papers,it may not ahve been noticed that the Middle England press have launched into a certain David Cameron over his reaction to the floods.Although seen ading thru the waters of his constituency at the weekend,the Tory leader flew out to Rwanda on a long standing engagement to promote the party's stance on international aid.

The Mail in particular has reacted badly to this

As floods rage back in Britain, Rwandans ask Cameron: Shouldn't you be at home? from this morning's paper along with Richard Littlejohn who asks

Out of Africa Dave, it's time to get serious

"His constituents may be up to their knees in mud, but CMD is sitting in a mud hut in Rwanda"

TORY DONOR BLASTS FAILINGS OF CAMERON reports the other bastion of Middle England this morning

"The attack was levelled by former Tory treasurer and multi-millionaire Lord Kalms who has warned of a “summer of discontent” within the party."

Cameron faces pressure after trip from yesterdays Mail

CAMERON SHUNS FLOOD CRISIS FOR AFRICA from yesterday's Express

Got a sinking feeling, Dave? from the Sun on Monday

Interesting as the papers are none too happy with David.Where are you Andy Coulson

On the Floods

LABOUR IGNORES LESSONS OF FLOODS AT BRITAIN'S PERIL

No doubting what the Express thinks of the flood situation.

"Thousands of families have been left devastated by the floods. Health risks
are rising, with drinking water potentially contaminated by sewage. And yet
still the Government presses on with plans to build new homes on flood plains –
and that despite a report warning that there will be dire consequences should
Labour hike building targets in the South-east.Does this Government actually
wish to make matters worse? For a start, there is increasing evidence that more
could have been done to prevent the terrible damage wrought by the still rising
waters by getting flood defences in place faster. Second, the Environment Agency
forward planning budget has been cut, and while the Daily Express would usually
welcome trimming the bloated apparatus that is Whitehall, such an act is
madness. And finally, the Government is pressing ahead with plans to build
millions more new homes in an area of the country that is already stretched to
breaking point.Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has said “lessons have been
learned” from this week’s disaster, the standard phrase trotted out by cabinet
ministers when they haven’t a clue what to do next. In actual fact, it looks as
if lessons are going to be totally ignored. Heaven help Britain in the years
ahead."

I am not sure that I am in total agreement about the first two points,the rainfall after all was highly unusual and even if greater creedence had been given to the forecasts,it's unlikely that the flooding would have been avoided.But a fair point about building on flood plains

For the Indy though it's all down to global warming,

It's official: the heavier rainfall in Britain is being caused by climate change, a major new scientific study will reveal this week, as the country reels from summer downpours of unprecedented ferocity.
More intense rainstorms across parts of the northern hemisphere are being generated by man-made global warming, the study has established for the first time ­ an effect which has long been predicted but never before proved.
The study's findings will be all the more dramatic for being disclosed as Britain struggles to recover from the phenomenal drenching of the past few days, during which more than a month's worth of rain fell in a few hours in some places, and floods forced thousands from their homes.

P

Queen Camilla or not?

Meanwhile the real Express turns to a royal theme this morning

"PRINCE Charles was buoyed by an opinion poll yesterday showing a four-fold increase in support for Camilla becoming Queen.
On the day his wife celebrated her 60th birthday, he and Camilla received an unexpected gift with the first serious indication that the public is warming to her.Millions who blame the couple’s adultery for the break-up of Charles’s first marriage to Diana and the subsequent tragedy that befell the late Princess still vow they will never support them.But the first clear signals that attitudes are softening among a section of society emerged in the poll, which found 28 per cent would support Camilla taking the title of Queen if and when Charles is crowned King."

The paper compares this to a similar poll it did in 2005 where only 7% supported the idea

However perhaps the paper should have checked with the Sun which claims

Camilla 'I won't be your queen'

THE Duchess of Cornwall has said that she does not want
the title Queen.
Camilla told friends she wants to be known as the princess
consort when Prince Charles becomes king.
She let it be known she would be
happy if she never became queen and wants only a supporting role in Charles’s
official duties.

Express has a decent lead!!!!

It is rare that this blog congratulates the Express on its front page but this report may well have an element of truth in it.It appears to have come from a source in the US Police who are often more revealing in information to journalists than their British counterparts.

Thr report seems to arise from ABC news which was reporting that

"The London bomb plot allegedly planned by a cell of doctors failed early last Friday morning because a medical syringe used as part of the firing mechanism caused a malfunction, ABC News has learned.
According to nonclassified documents reviewed by ABC News, and confirmed by multiple sources, both mobile telephones initiated firing mechanisms rigged inside a Mercedes E 300 parked several yards from the front door of Tiger Tiger nightclub failed despite multiple calls to the cell phones designed to remotely trigger the devices. "

How to Interpret News lesson one

The Mail and the Express have picked up the same report this morning and spun a differing headline on their front pages.As you can see if you are a house owner you may be a little confused.Both papers are referring the land registry report.

According to the Express

The average home in England and Wales went up by more
than £1,200 every month in the past year despite Bank of England attempts to
dampen the market with hikes to the base rate.And in welcome news for
homeowners, experts claim the possibility of a housing crash is becoming more
and more remote.

Whereas the Mail ,perhaps ,dare I say with, a little more interpretation, says

House prices are falling across wide areas of the country,
it has been revealed.
This could signal the end of the 11-year property
boom.
Alarm bells sounded after official figures from the Land Registry
showed prices slipping in four of the ten regions into which it divides England
and Wales.
It is the first time in seven years that prices have fallen in so
many areas in a single month.

Rather confusing do you not think?

.

Express and Mail frighten us again

Another of those classic Express front pages this morning designed to frighten those tucking into their cornflakes

Says the paper

ALMOST 92,000 Eastern Europeans who came to Britain looking
for work are claiming tens of millions of pounds in state handouts.
The flood
of migrants cashing in on benefits is costing the taxpayer at least £102million
a year.And the bill will rise further as figures showed yesterday that 660
Eastern Europeans – more than 4,500 a week – are coming to the UK every
day.

And the Mail is not far behind,

120 immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria arrive in Britain every day to be circus stars

"

For rather than the plumbers and builders many expected,
the top profession listed by Romanians is "circus artiste". Most Bulgarians
claim to have worked as chefs or carers while musician, researcher and hotel
worker also make the cut. "

Coverage of Robert Murat.

The media coverage this morning of Robert Murat is disgraceful to say the least and bordering on the bounds of legality.

The press,subjected to nearly two weeks of little to report other than the angusih of the parents have now sunk their teeth into a marginal lead.The man has simply been interviewed,and as I understand it,volunteered himself to the authorities.

The price for doing that seems to be having your picture plastered over the front of the dailies,and the rolling news channels.
Being subjected to much innuendo and speculation including this from the Sun

"One-eyed Robert Murat" the relevence of which is................

And from the Express making a number of irrelevant statements:

"The suspect, Robert Murat, who is in his thirties, lives in the house with his mother.It is just 100 yards from the apartment where Madeleine was snatched 12 days ago.Murat, who was not believed to have been arrested, has a young daughter by his estranged wife who is understood to bear a striking resemblance to Madeleine."

PENALTY LOOT OUT

Some days I just have to sound off about the subjects that the national's pick for their leads.

It is the local elections this morning,the French elections on Sunday,our security services are on the defensive after Monday's Old Bailey verdict,and the Israeli government is about to fall after getting it wrong about a war.

The Sun though decides that an overpaid goalkeeper who saved a couple of penalties to put his team in the Champions league final and had his car stolen and burnt is the most important story.

And my old buddy the Daily Express,as a bank holiday approached decides the most important thing is to tell me the weather forecast and that there will be traffic jams on the roads....

Watch what you eat

The subject of health becomes an obsession with three of the papers,(Times,Telegraph and Express leading with seperate health stories.

Perhaps I can just about understand the Telegraph's "Dental patients in CJD alert" which claims

"Dentists have been told not to re-use instruments for root canal work because they could infect patients with the human form of mad cow disease."

But the Times uses its front page to announce "Scientists prove that salty diet costs lives" telling us that

Eating less salt reduces the chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke, the first long-term study of salt’s impact on health confirms today.
The findings, from a 15-year study, offer the clearest evidence yet that cutting salt consumption saves lives by reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease. People who ate less salty food were found to have a 25 per cent lower risk of cardiac arrest or stroke, and a 20 per cent lower risk of premature death. The results, published in the British Medical Journal, underline the need for population-wide salt reductions in the diet, the scientists conclude.

Maybe I have missed something here but just as a long time ago we were warned about animal fats ,I am certain that salt came under the heading of things not to eat in great quantities.I have certainly avoided it for many years if at all possible.

Then the Express attacks just when you werent expecting eat,suggesting that perhaps fruit is also dangerous,"NEW ALERT OVER DANGERS IN FRUIT

"TOXIC chemicals have been found on fruit given to millions of schoolchildren every day under a Government healthy-eating scheme.
Three quarters of the fresh produce provided free to youngsters is contaminated with potentially harmful pesticides, tests revealed yesterday. Apples, bananas and pears were among the most polluted."

Sour grapes from the Mail?

The Sun carries an article this morning written by Andy McNab that seeks to justify Faye Turney's selling of the story to the paper.

Andy,former SAS hero, is the Sun's security correspondent who argues that the captured sailors

"When they returned safe and well should have been given heroes’ welcomes.
Instead the armchair generals at home — led by an at times hysterical Daily Mail — have tried to pour scorn on these brave sailors."

"And the rent-a-quotes have suggested being taken hostage by the Iranians was like a fortnight in Butlins. "

He also suggests that one of the reasons for the Mail's hostility is that it was beaten to the story by the Sun after a“very substantial sum”.

Turney turned down the offer because the Sun is the paper of the forces and the Mail is rarely read in the mess halls.

update

Polly Toynbee joins the debate in the Guardian under the article"Our press, the worst in the west, demoralises us all

"The Ministry of Defence agreed to pass bids on to the sailors: the Daily Mail emailed an offer of "a very substantial sum". The Mail on Sunday combined its bid with the Sunday Mirror and jointly offered £100,000 in another email. The News of the World offered to outbid all others. Sky made an offer but the BBC did not. The Daily Express offered £30,000."

So both the Mail and the Express joined the auction,both papers the fiercest critics of the policy.

But Polly continues her tirade against the press describing them as

"The British press, the worst in the west, demoralises the national psyche. It makes people miserable. It raises false fears. It proclaims that nothing works, everything gets worse, and it urges distrust of any public official or politician. Now it has the government on the run and a chance for Tory victory, there is no holding back its doom-mongering in this most healthy, safe and prosperous age."

Harsh words indeed Polly but obviously not including the Guardian?There are some rather sweeping statements being made and the final paragraph also makes interesting reading

"What is so squalid about these newspapers is their use of figleaf sermons to cover their real business, done with corrupting chequebook, threat, intimidation, invasion of privacy, paparazzi aggression and vicious cruelty. Labour should use this disgrace to reign in chequebook tell-all by public servants, from those at the top such as Christopher Meyer to those at the bottom such as these sailors. It's time to look again at privacy legislation, a quid pro quo for the Freedom of Information Act the press abuses with petty assaults on government. The media is in danger of making government by any party impossible."

Much as I admire a lot of Polly writing I believe this to be really over the top.The main cause of this episode was not the press but the decision by the MOD to allow the sailors to sell their stories in the first place.