12th November

Good news for lovers of alcohol on the Front page of the Sunday Telegraph

Tax ruling will save UK drinkers billions

“British shoppers will soon be able to buy cut-price alcohol and cigarettes from the Continent without leaving home, as a result of an extraordinary legal test case that threatens to blow a multi-billion pound hole in the Treasury's coffers.
The European Court of Justice is expected to rule next week that goods can be bought in other EU states and delivered to the door while only the duty levied in the country of origin is paid. This is often a fraction of that charged in Britain.”

Though the Independent reminds us that

“Alcohol is to blame for more than 22,000 deaths a year in Britain - nearly three times higher than government estimates.
New evidence to be published this week by Alcohol Concern paints a stark picture of how alcohol abuse destroys the lives of thousands of Britons.”

Perhaps the Chancellor has more important thing to worry about as the Sunday Times leads with
Brown: I'll be terror overlord

"GORDON BROWN today makes his strongest intervention yet on national security by saying that he will take personal charge of the fight against terrorism if he becomes prime minister.

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The chancellor, in an interview with The Sunday Times, said that only a Labour government led by him could be trusted to protect the country, dismissing the Conservatives as not understanding “the scale of the threat we face”.

The fallout from the Mid term elections is obviously well featured in the papers today especially what it will mean for Tony Blair and British policy on Iraq

The Sunday Times announces that

British to quit Iraq ‘in a year’

“A staged withdrawal of all 7,500 British troops now in southern Iraq could come by the end of next year, defence sources said.

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Military commanders have made no secret of their wish to get out of Iraq, with senior sources critical of the decision to maintain such a large garrison. “

The Observer reporting that the Prime Minister is already trying to influence American thinking on the future of the conflict

“Tony Blair and beleaguered President George Bush have had a long discussion on how to push forward 'change' in the coalition's policy in Iraq.
In Friday's phone conversation, Blair, who will give evidence to the Bush-appointed Iraq Study Group on Tuesday, insisted on the need to regionalise the peace effort and draw Iran and Syria - which have been accused of supporting insurgents - into any solution.”

The Independent using remembrance Sunday to focus back on the Iraq issues,its front page featuring a red poppy with the words
Remembrance Sunday Special: Remember the war of words

Using a then and now scenario on the words of some of the top players in the war

Then (March 2003)Iraqi lives saved by this military action will far exceed the number who, sadly, will be killed. It is a terrible calculation ... but one you have to make if there is to be a proper justification for military action.

Now (September 2006)The current situation is dire. I think many mistakes were made after the military action - there is no question about it - by the US administration.Jack Straw EX-FOREIGN SECRETARY

Or

Then (August 2002)I will be blunt: demolishing Saddam's power and liberating Iraq militarily would be a cakewalk.

Now (October 2006)What I would have said: that Bush's arguments are right, but ... you have to put them in the drawer marked "can't do" ... that's very different from "let's go" ... We're losing in Iraq.Kenneth Adelman LEADING US HAWK

Its leading article gives us a poingnant reminder of today


Stop the clocks
"Who knows if silence is the mother of truth, as Benjamin Disraeli alleged? But this Remembrance Sunday's pause is at least a chance to put aside the argumentative tone of much of the debate about current affairs, and to contemplate the heroism of the men and women who risk their lives on our behalf in the armed forces. "

The same newspaper also claims an exclusive

Cash for honours: Labour hid millions from auditors

"The Labour Party concealed from its own auditors the receipt of millions of pounds in loans from businessmen nominated by Tony Blair for Labour peerages, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.
Scotland Yard has now broadened its inquiry to consider allegations that the party produced a false balance sheet and broke the law by failing to disclose £12m-worth of loans in audited annual figures published last year.

The Farepak hampers story leads in the Mirror following on from yesterday’s story in the Express

SCROOGE FAREPAK BOSS' £2K HAMPER FOR PALS

“THE multi-millionaire boss of collapsed hamper firm Farepak is already preparing for his own lavish Christmas - with £500 cases of vintage wine for his mates.
More than 100,000 distraught customers - promised the "best family Christmas ever" - lost savings of £40million when Nick Gilodi Johnson's company crashed last month.”

Meanwhile the News of the World has a story coming out of thios weeks news on Britney Spears announcing

“SUPERSTAR Britney Spears is facing a mega divorce payout because she did it again and again and again...on a HONEYMOON sex video.
Dumped husband Kevin Federline has been touting the four-hour tape for sale and has already been offered £26 MILLION.
A film company wants to make it available online to fans around the world. “

And staying with showbiz the Paper also alleges that


“LOVING dad Paul McCartney has secretly offered Heather Mills a staggering £20million EXTRA for custody of their daughter Beatrice. “

The Sunday Times has a focus special on how the writing of fake reviews on the Internet is causing chaos in the world of restaurants and hotels citing the example of a hotel in Loch Ness

“The online review appeared to be a glowing endorsement of a fine hotel by the shores of Loch Ness. “My parents stayed many years ago and said what a lovely spot this place has. They were so right!” said the review of the Drumnadrochit hotel posted on TripAdvisor, one of the most popular websites for travel information.
“Well done to the staff, who were really charming . . . Have no hesitation in booking . . . the food is outstanding . . . Believe me you’ll love it.”

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The gushing praise, however, was not the independent judgment of an ordinary guest: in fact, it had been written and posted by David Bremner, the hotel’s owner.
Last week he admitted the ploy but was unrepentant. “Maybe I shouldn’t have done it,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s that big a deal.”
Real guests might not agree: some previous reviews had complained of high prices and shabby rooms. “

In the Observer,Paul Harris writes of the new power brokers in American politics
“Last week a voters' revolution swept through Washington, brushing aside key members of President Bush's inner guard. Now a new group of powerful figures has emerged to reshape the future of politics in the United States”

New Democratic power brokers

Rahm Emanuel The Chicago congressman masterminded the Democrats' House campaign. Plans His skills at organisation and winning the election have some calling him a Democrat Karl Rove.

Hillary Clinton The former First Lady and current New York Senator easily won re-election. Her next target is the White House. Plans She's the frontrunner to win the party nomination for 2008.

Howard Dean The chairman of the Democratic National Committee has a 50-state plan to turn all America blue. Plans He wants a Democrat revolution to sweep the US and put the party in power in every region.

Nancy Pelosi She is the fi rst woman speaker in Congress and represents liberal San Francisco. Plans She will shape much of the Democrat policy push in the House.
Harry ReidAs leader of the Democrats in the upper chamber, he is now the most powerful man in the US Senate. Plans He will lead the party in one of the most important parts of the US government.

Tom Vilsack The governor of Iowa is a centrist from the American heartland, popular in his crucial home state. Plans First off the Democratic mark, he has immediately declared his intentions to run for President.

"Grey power: America's gerontocracy
In American politics, it is undoubtedly age over beauty. Many top American politicians are elderly by British political standards while young stars, such as Barack Obama, 45, would not be considered fresh-faced in a Westminster where Sir Menzies Campbell came under such scrutiny when he won the leadership of the Lib Dems for his mere 65 years.
Perhaps the lack of ageism in the US is not surprising in a country whose population is rapidly greying as the Baby Boomers head into retirement and where the elderly vote is one of the most powerful power blocs in the nation.
Here are some of America's most powerful older politicians:
Nancy Pelosi The new House of Representatives speaker is 66 years old. She is the first woman to lead one of the Houses of Congress from any political party.
Harry Reid The Democratic leader of the Senate is also 66. He first won elected office in 1967.
John McCain The Republican top dog and presidential hopeful is 70. He will be America's oldest president if he wins in 2008.
Robert Byrd The Democratic senator from West Virginia first won his seat in 1959. He will be a distinctly venerable 89 years old on 20 November.
Robert Gates The new Defence Secretary is 63 . He is a former director of the CIA.
The elderly also figure highly in American media, law, entertainment and business. Supreme Court judge John Stevens is 86, while billionaire investor Warren Buffet is 76. Sumner Redstone, head of media group Viacom and owner of CBS, is 83.

Andrew Sullivan writing in the Times

“The events of last week in America have an almost Shakespearean quality to them. It’s like some ghastly conflation of Richard II’s doom-laden “Down, down, I come” and Richard III’s “winter of our discontent”. Richard II is how Bush would like the world to see him — a king of noble motives brought low by injustice and fate. Richard III is . . . well, ask Karl Rove, the hunch in W’s back.”

And continues

“Last week George W Bush was forced back — once again — to the protective arms of his father. They call the first President Bush “Poppy” in the family, and it captures both the authority and the slight daffiness of the 41st president. His first son always lived in his shadow — both deeply admiring him and deeply resenting him, the way dauphins often do their monarchs.”

Staying with Bush the Mail on Sunday leads with

Outrage at London sting by US spies

“Undercover American agents are staging secret 'sting' operations in Britain against criminal and terrorist suspects they want to extradite to the US. “

And sounding like a James Bond film

In a recent operation, agents from America's Department of Homeland Security set up a suspect by posing as dealers wanting to illegally sell night-vision goggles for export to Iran.
The spies arranged a series of clandestine meetings in London hotels, which they secretly filmed as evidence. It is thought to be the first time American agents have been caught using such sting tactics in Britain.

But not far away from the headlines in more classic Mail
Recycling 'failures' get smaller wheelie bin

“In a bid by a local authority to force families to recycle more, officials in Tamworth, Sheffield, have removed hundreds of normal-sized wheelie bins after carrying out spot checks to catch 'offenders'.
It is believed to be the first time a council has taken such a drastic step in its efforts to meet Government targets on reducing waste”


England Rugby is under focus on the back pages following the team’s defeat at Twickenham yesterday to Argentina

The Telegraph says

England in crisis

“England crashed to an humiliating defeat at Twickenham yesterday when they lost 18-25 to Argentina and left their coach Andy Robinson facing mounting criticism over his selection and tactics.
After the game he apologised to the fans saying: "I am really disappointed for the supporters. The whole of England has been let down, and that is a massive disappointment This is my lowest point."

The Sunday Express simply says

It's time to go, Robbo

“ANDY Robinson is steadfastly refusing to stand down as England’s rugby union coach despite leading the country to its worst run of results in 34 years.Robinson claims that he will still be in charge for the first of two Test matches against South Africa next weekend – but the RFU might have different ideas.Former England flanker Robinson will wait to be sacked by his bosses rather than walk away from the job he has held since Sir Clive Woodward stepped down just over two years ago.”