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Brown’s $2tr plan to save the world is snubbed by European leaders
As details of Gordon Brown's 'global new deal' leaked out in a German magazine, it faced immediate criticism from European leaders. His plan, to be announced at this week's G20 summit, is for a fiscal stimulus of over $2 trillion in tax cuts. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said: "I will not let anyone tell me that we must spend more money", and French president Nicolas Sarkozy said that radical reform of capitalism should be put ahead of tax cuts. (Sunday Times)
The Mole: Brown backtracks on further fiscal stimulus 
Gordon Brown gets mugged in Strasbourg
Darling plots a Budget boost for the poor
The chancellor, Alistair Darling, is planning to help poorer families in his next budget, and to stimulate the economy at the same time. The plan, which has the backing of more than 110 MPs, is to top up benefits or tax credits for those in greatest need, who are most likely to spend it, and so help the economy to recover. It also emerged that Gordon Brown will argue at this week's G20 summit that aid to developing countries should be increased. (Observer)
PM and Bank of England clash over recession rescue plan
Archbishop angry at BBC
Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has complained to the director-general of the BBC that Christians are being neglected in the schedules. He echoed complaints from other churchmen that the BBC is giving disproportionate attention to minority faiths. The move comes soon after the sacking of Michael Wakelin, a Methodist preacher, as head of religious programmes. The front-runner for his job is a Muslim, Aaqil Ahmed, commissioning editor for religion at Channel 4. Also, a Sikh was recently appointed producer of Songs of Praise. (Sunday Telegraph)
Will Self: Rowan Williams is my man of the year
Dunfermline BS gets bail-out
The Dunfermline Building Society yesterday became the latest financial institution to be bailed out by the government. The building society is due to announce a £26m loss this week, and more problems are expected to emerge. The Scottish Secretary, Jim Murphy, said that the problems were caused by 'reckless' decisions by the previous management. These include a loss of over £9m on a computer venture and failed investments in commercial property. (Independent on Sunday)
Labour's Faustian pact with capitalism
New Labour MP in expenses row
Labour MP Harry Cohen is the latest to be criticised for claiming a second-home allowance that was really paid on his real home. He has claimed that his main home is a seaside house that he actually uses at weekends, and that his home in his Leyton and Wanstead constituency, is his second home. He has done so since 1990, meaning that he has claimed £310,714 in total. (Mail on Sunday)
Will Self: Westminster kidults have nothing to say for themselves
The Mole: Standards Committee urged to act over McNulty
Protestors march ahead of G20
Up to 35,000 protesters marched through central London yesterday, ahead of this week's G20 summit. Thousands of police were present, but only one arrest was made, for drunk and disorderly behaviour. At 8.30 last night many households, and some public buildings, switched off their lights in protest at climate change.
(Sunday Telegraph)
Police tactics set scene for violence at G20
Intelligence chiefs have warned that the UK is vulnerable to cyber attack by China. The fear is that equipment installed by the Chinese telecoms company Huawai in BT's new network could be used to interfere with essential services such as power and water supplies. The network will also be used by intelligence services and the military. (Sunday Times)
China rewrites the rules of cyber-war
Ten NHS trusts have worse death rates than Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which was criticised for its 'appalling' record by the Healthcare Commission this month. Yet the watchdog has no plans to investigate any of these ten trusts, one of which has a death rate 32% worse than expected. (Sunday Telegraph)
Government databases condemned as illegal
Radical Muslim Anjem Choudary vowed that British justice would be replaced by Islamic law in a fiery speech in central London on Friday. He was speaking under the banner of Islam4UK, a new organisation that looks set to attract Britain's extremists. He likened himself to biblical prophet Noah. (Sunday Express)
Tariq Ramadan: the liberal's favourite muslim
Lord Myners, the minister in charge of closing down tax havens, has used a blind trust to conceal £250,000 in an offshore shelter. He created the trust when he became a minister in October. MPs have described this as "blatant hypocrisy". Myners is also under fire for agreeing to Sir Fred Goodwin's £16.9m pension pot. (Sunday Times)
People: Fred Goodwin's home is attacked
The England and Wales Cricket Board is planning to break with tradition and allow a Test match to be played next year in which the players do not wear white. The plan is for coloured 'pyjama' kits to be worn in a floodlit match with Bangladesh. Because a white ball is used at night, kits have to be a different colour. (Sunday Telegraph)
IPL snubs England for South Africa
Spain starts legal proceedings against Bush officials
Spain has begun legal proceedings against six senior officials in the Bush administration for using torture against detainees in Guantanamo Bay. The six, who include Alberto Gonzales and Dick Cheney, may soon have arrest warrants issued against them. The move will put pressure on Obama to decide whether to launch his own criminal inquiry into torture.(Observer)
Alexander Cockburn: payback time for Bush and his cronies
Police to investigate Binyam Mohamed MI5 torture claims
Varun Gandhi has been arrested for inciting hatred against Muslims. He has spurned the secular tradition of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, to seek election as a Hindu nationalist candidate. In a fiery speech he allegedly vowed to "cut off the hand" of any Muslim who threatened a Hindu. (Sunday Telegraph)
Untouchable Kumari Mayawati could be India's next PM
The first talks between American and Iranian officials about the future of Afghanistan have taken place in Moscow. It is hoped that the new co-operation between Washington and Tehran will allow Obama's strategy for the region to work, and will lead to a thawing of relations between the two countries, who have not had full diplomatic relations for almost 30 years.(Sunday Times)
Obama and Clinton send envoys to Syria
Obama hints at talks with Taliban
UKFI may block Goodwin pension
UKFI, the body created to handle the government's stakes in nationalised banks, is set to vote against the proposed £700,000-a-year pension for Sir Fred Goodwin. UKFI now has a 70 per cent stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland, enabling it to block the pension plan. (Sunday Times)
RBS executives claim they were intimidated
Tesco is to launch bank branches in 30 of its stores by the end of this year, in a bid to move into the financial services sector. It is also launching a current account, which it hopes will attract those who have lost faith in the high-street banks. (Sunday Telegraph)
Local newspaper publishers will ask the Office of Fair Trading for changes in the law that allow them to merge in order to survive. The current rules, which prevent any group from having 25 per cent of newspaper advertising, have been made irrelevant by new media, they will argue.(Observer)
Rupert Murdoch - muck, brass and business savvy
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