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tv   The Papers  BBC News  December 28, 2022 10:30pm-10:46pm GMT

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this is bbc news. the headlines: the united states has announced it will require negative covid tests for travellers from china, following growing alarm at the rapid increase in chinese infections. tighter measures have also been announced by italy, japan, taiwan and india. as people flee kherson, kyiv says russia has carried out more than 30 rocket attacks in the past 2a hours. meanwhile, president zelensky has used his end—of—the—year speech to tell lawmakers that ukraine's defiance had united the european union. pope francis has asked people to pray for his predecessor, benedict xvi, who he says is very ill. the vatican says benedict's condition has worsened in recent hours. and britain is on course to record its warmest year ever, after a summer of blistering
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heatwaves and a mild autumn and spring. hello, welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me, rachel cunliffe, senior associate editor at the new statesman, and claire cohen, journalist and author. we will say hello properly to both in just a minute. we will say hello properly to both injusta minute. first, though, let's take a look at those actual front pages. with fresh strikes expected in the new year and reports of new anti—strike laws, the financial times leads with a warning from incoming boss of the tuc, paul nowak, who said unions will fight and make the government "pay a high political price" for such laws. the independent has gone
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with a striking image of the impact of recent russian bombardment in ukraine. they're also shining a light on striking chaos, with a warning that the uk could see a year of disruption if the government fails to negotiate. in contrast, the times leads with labour's vow to combat anti—social behaviour as the party promises to "prevent, punish and protect". "have the tories given up on cutting taxes?" is the daily mail's leading story, as they go with reports that chancellorjeremy hunt has scrapped a major review of taxation. and the sun goes with "sneaky nando�*s" as their headline — this comes after reports of civil servants being handed £30 million in shop and restaurant gift cards. plenty to get on with, so let's get on with it. good evening to you both. thanks so much for coming on and agreed to talk through the papers with us. we are going to start with the financial times and actually a story we have been covering over the last couple hours as it has been developing. the
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headline in the ft... interesting, since the papers have gone to press, we now know the us is doing something similar, but italy was first and that is what it is on the front page of the ft. rachel, should we start with you was macjust talk us through, what are these measures and why are they beating put into place coachella there is a real sense of tragic deja vu, isn't there? sense of tragic de'a vu, isn't there? ~ . ., , sense of tragic de'a vu, isn't there? ~ . . , , ., , there? we are nearly three years since the first _ there? we are nearly three years since the first beginner _ there? we are nearly three years since the first beginner ports - there? we are nearly three years since the first beginner ports of. since the first beginner ports of the covid pandemic, starting filtering through, and with cases surging in china, other countries had to make decisions as to what measures they were going to take, and obviously we then lived through the history, and china is one of the very few countries who throughout that time really stuck to a policy of zero covid. they did try and vaccinate their population, as indeed all countries have, but they
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focused primarily on try to keep cases basically to zero and continuing to impose very strict lockdown measures while the rest of the world was working out, as we were here in the uk, what measures you needed to limit the spread but to enable people to kind of start to go about their daily lives. as that process continued, we saw how successful vaccinations were, and that in turn spurred more people to go and get vaccinated, and now we are where we are, whereas china has beenin are where we are, whereas china has been in this heightened lockdown state. they very recently reversed that and they have started to ease up that and they have started to ease up as a result cases have absolutely skyrocketed to levels that are i wandering, and there is a real concern in the rest of the road that david will be a new variance, and we have been for that before, and that it might be safer to reimpose travel research and the make sure the people coming from china to other countries have a negative covid test
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before they get here —— the rest of the world that there will be a new variant. we the world that there will be a new variant. ~ . ., , ., the world that there will be a new variant. . ., , ., ., ., variant. we had a professor on from harvard, variant. we had a professor on from harvard. saying. — variant. we had a professor on from harvard, saying, listen, _ variant. we had a professor on from harvard, saying, listen, these - harvard, saying, listen, these travel restrictions, either got to do it fully, like australia or new zealand did, or if you kind of do it in a half way, actually, it is not particularly effective, because variance will get out anyway. he was quite sceptical on the idea of reintroducing these testing procedures. claire, what do you make of it? , , , ., procedures. claire, what do you make ofit? , , , ., , of it? testing procedures would be able in one — of it? testing procedures would be able in one sense, _ of it? testing procedures would be able in one sense, in _ of it? testing procedures would be able in one sense, in the - of it? testing procedures would be able in one sense, in the simple i able in one sense, in the simple fact that — able in one sense, in the simple fact that we have absolutely no data coming _ fact that we have absolutely no data coming out of china at all, and that is when _ coming out of china at all, and that is when the — coming out of china at all, and that is when the really difficult things to help _ is when the really difficult things to help us get to grips with it, because — to help us get to grips with it, because the official line that is coming — because the official line that is coming out by their officials is that everything is under control. and you are showing footage earlier of their officials saying, any suggestion otherwise is a smear campaign, whereas the truth, of
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course, — campaign, whereas the truth, of course, as— campaign, whereas the truth, of course, as rich wasjust saying, and the images — course, as rich wasjust saying, and the images we are seeing coming out of hospitals and funeral homes in china, _ of hospitals and funeral homes in china, tells a very different story, but there — china, tells a very different story, but there is— china, tells a very different story, but there is no data on a number of hospitalisations, no data on the number— hospitalisations, no data on the number of— hospitalisations, no data on the number of deaths of a no attempt at sequencing, so at the very bare fact of being _ sequencing, so at the very bare fact of being able to get some data on who is— of being able to get some data on who is travelling and spreading what would be _ who is travelling and spreading what would be helpful. but whether people stand for— would be helpful. but whether people stand for this, and we saw the public— stand for this, and we saw the public unrest last month, which has led to— public unrest last month, which has led to the _ public unrest last month, which has led to the relaxing of these restrictions in china, and the ft story— restrictions in china, and the ft story says — restrictions in china, and the ft story says that the end of the restrictions has parts huge demand for international travel. people have _ for international travel. people have found it very difficult to leave — have found it very difficult to leave the country over the last three — leave the country over the last three years and to get exit visas has been — three years and to get exit visas has been on impossible, and bookings have been_ has been on impossible, and bookings have been up to a new 50% on tuesday compared _ have been up to a new 50% on tuesday compared with the day earlier this week, _ compared with the day earlier this week, the — compared with the day earlier this week, the story says, so whether chinese _ week, the story says, so whether chinese citizens would even put up with the _ chinese citizens would even put up with the sort ofjacobian measures that the _ with the sort ofjacobian measures that the professor was talking about, — that the professor was talking about, i— that the professor was talking about, lam not that the professor was talking about, i am not so sure. interesting, claire, going to go
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back to the uk now, going to go to the front page of the independent. we will perhaps come back to that covid issue a bit later on, but for now let's go to the issue of the strikes, which of course people across the uk will be well aware of. new warning on the front page of the independent, rachel. what are they going with here?— if the government does not negotiate, it is unlikely the unions will go, we did a strike to, it did not work, we are happy with our pay levels where they are. i don't think you have to have a crystal ball... possibly this will go through the early month severe and the rest of the year as well, as well, as long as those pressures that are simultaneously making it very difficult for the government to spare more money and also making it very difficult for people to manage with the money they already have,
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spiking inflation, very high energy cost, otherfactors, the cost, other factors, the cost—of—living cost, otherfactors, the cost—of—living crisis, high cost of food, none of that is going away for so the idea that new year, new leaf, everything will be fine, i don't think anyone was really expecting that. it is difficult to see how the government of that, because if you look at the numbers they don't have the funds available to give everything a union of every single sector that are demanding these pay rises, the amount of money that they are questing, certainly not ones that keep up with and exceed inflation of over io%. on the other hand, though, you've got people were striking because, quite friendly, they are desperate. many in the public sector have endured over a decade of pay stagnation, public sector pay freezes, so they were already starting going into this particular crisis after very low points, in sectors like the health sector or in teaching, the pandemic has also been really, really tough
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for morale, also for retention. they have lost a whole load of people. it is really tough for everyone, and so it is not fully a case of emma just get on with it and do the job. these trucks are coming from a place of desperation, and therefore the industrial action will most like and continue —— the strikes are coming from. continue -- the strikes are coming from. , . ., ., from. declare, the quote pointing out, the actually, _ from. declare, the quote pointing out, the actually, they _ from. declare, the quote pointing out, the actually, they will- from. declare, the quote pointing out, the actually, they will make | out, the actually, they will make this a general election issue ahead of the 2024 general election. if you of the 2024 general election. if you wanted to clear _ of the 2024 general election. if you wanted to clear indication _ of the 2024 general election. if you wanted to clear indication this - of the 2024 general election. if you wanted to clear indication this was never— wanted to clear indication this was never simply going to be a winter of discontent, — never simply going to be a winter of discontent, that is it. and this is predicted, — discontent, that is it. and this is predicted, as the story says, to go on for— predicted, as the story says, to go on for at _ predicted, as the story says, to go on for at least a year, heading into generat— on for at least a year, heading into general election campaign territory. that witt— general election campaign territory. that will be making the government set up _ that will be making the government set up and _ that will be making the government set up and pay some attention tonight— set up and pay some attention tonight but you would think, but rathei— tonight but you would think, but rachel is— tonight but you would think, but rachel is absolutely right. unless they are — rachel is absolutely right. unless they are going to come to the table, there's— they are going to come to the table, there's going to be no end to this. we are _ there's going to be no end to this. we are seeing stories every day now about _ we are seeing stories every day now about new _ we are seeing stories every day now about new sectors wanting to join these _ about new sectors wanting to join these strikes. there is talk about
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midwives— these strikes. there is talk about midwives striking earlier next year. there _ midwives striking earlier next year. there was — midwives striking earlier next year. there was a — midwives striking earlier next year. there was a story estadio junior doctors — there was a story estadio junior doctors. there's a story about rail workers _ doctors. there's a story about rail workers doing back—to—back strikes on consecutive days, aside from the one or— on consecutive days, aside from the one or two — on consecutive days, aside from the one or two days we have seen at the moment, and that will cause huge, huge _ moment, and that will cause huge, huge disruption, and we've already had small— huge disruption, and we've already had small businesses talk about how they are _ had small businesses talk about how they are being impacted by the lack of footfall and by the postal strikes _ of footfall and by the postal strikes of course, so really this is having _ strikes of course, so really this is having a — strikes of course, so really this is having a knock on effect, in so many places. _ having a knock on effect, in so many places. and — having a knock on effect, in so many places, and rachel is right. the government is noble to have the money— government is noble to have the money to— government is noble to have the money to give everything to everyone, but by refusing to sit down _ everyone, but by refusing to sit down at — everyone, but by refusing to sit down at the table, they are storing up down at the table, they are storing up an— down at the table, they are storing up an electoral problem for themselves, potentially. gk, up an electoral problem for themselves, potentially. 0k, 'ust before we leave i themselves, potentially. 0k, 'ust before we leave the issue i themselves, potentially. 0k, 'ust before we leave the issue of h themselves, potentially. 0k, just before we leave the issue of the i before we leave the issue of the strikes, we are going to go to the front page of the daily telegraph because it has a slightly unusual angle on the strikes issue. rachel, just quickly talk us through this. the headline there... what is going on? ., , �* ., on? the irony here. i'm laughing
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because you _ on? the irony here. i'm laughing because you have _ on? the irony here. i'm laughing because you have to. _ on? the irony here. i'm laughing because you have to. it - on? the irony here. i'm laughing because you have to. it is - on? the irony here. i'm laughing because you have to. it is not. because you have to. it is not actually funny. the teaching unions are balloting their members to see if they are going to go on strike early in the new year, but it was widely predicted that they would, but those ballots might not all be arrived in time to be counted because of the postal strikes, so it is an issue of one strike affecting the ability of another union to hold their strike. we got our post for their strike. we got our post for the first time in about a week and a half today, since cards were sent at the start of december? but it is a reminder as well that all of these things are interconnected and in all kinds of ways, notjust, will the ballots and up at the cutting station in time, but the fact that these industries are interlinked and these industries are interlinked and the impact of them trickles down and impacts everyone stopping indeed. we are going to move away from strikes. clear, if you have a go at the mail for us, the question
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that the mail is posing on the front page there... why are they asking that? , ., page there... why are they asking that? y ., ., ,~ page there... why are they asking that? y ., ., ., page there... why are they asking that? ., , that? they are asking that because in their typically — that? they are asking that because in their typically old-style, - that? they are asking that because in their typically old-style, the - in their typically old—style, the story— in their typically old—style, the story reports that a treasury review of the _ story reports that a treasury review of the tax _ story reports that a treasury review of the tax system, which was put into place — of the tax system, which was put into place by kwasi kwarteng after the mini _ into place by kwasi kwarteng after the mini budget earlier this year, has been — the mini budget earlier this year, has been quietly ditched, so this is really— has been quietly ditched, so this is really the — has been quietly ditched, so this is really the death of trust economics as far— really the death of trust economics as far as— really the death of trust economics as farasjeremy hunt really the death of trust economics as far asjeremy hunt is concerned, and the _ as far asjeremy hunt is concerned, and the story says it is raising fears among stories that ministers are not— fears among stories that ministers are not serious about cutting what has ballooned into a record tax burden, — has ballooned into a record tax burden, which of course we all know. jeremy— burden, which of course we all know. jeremy hunt's autumn statement has already— jeremy hunt's autumn statement has already caused consternation amongst the tory— already caused consternation amongst the tory right, and this will do nothing — the tory right, and this will do nothing to— the tory right, and this will do nothing to quell that this evening. he has— nothing to quell that this evening. he has been accused of being unconservative, again talking about the general election, building up to
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2024 _ the general election, building up to 2024. they will be huge concern amongst the tory right he will not be able _ amongst the tory right he will not be able to— amongst the tory right he will not be able to undo these tax rises in time _ be able to undo these tax rises in time to— be able to undo these tax rises in time to make the election campaign viable _ time to make the election campaign viable on _ time to make the election campaign viable on that. so... but for him, he has _ viable on that. so... but for him, he has come _ viable on that. so... but for him, he has come in and he has done his best to _ he has come in and he has done his best to undo — he has come in and he has done his best to undo trust economics which obviously— best to undo trust economics which obviously possibly the least popular economic— obviously possibly the least popular economic policy in living memory... rachel, _ economic policy in living memory... rachel, just — economic policy in living memory... rachel, just we will come back to you, claire, on this, but rachel, on the politics of this, it is almost anything that is associated with that very brief time is pretty toxic. it take to the markets, toppled a pm. it would be very brave administration to keep much going from that time. it is administration to keep much going from that time.— from that time. it is interesting, isn't it? if _ from that time. it is interesting, isn't it? if you — from that time. it is interesting, isn't it? if you talk _ from that time. it is interesting, isn't it? if you talk to _ from that time. it is interesting, isn't it? if you talk to anybody i from that time. it is interesting, isn't it? if you talk to anybody in business from any political persuasion, they will tell you that our tax code is overly long, complicated, the uk tax code is 12 times as long as the king james bible, so certainly long and
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complicated and fickle to understand, and action going through it, reforming it, for the sake of simple find it and making it, reforming it, for the sake of simple find itand making it it, reforming it, for the sake of simple find it and making it easier, may be cutting taxes too, that is a sensible move. but because it was part of liz truss and kwasi kwarteng's agenda, claire is absolutely right, this latest government wants nothing to do with it, even though the idea on its own actually quite sensible. it is toxic because liz truss touched it. and because liz truss touched it. and claire, because liz truss touched it. and claire. finally. — because liz truss touched it. and claire, finally, on _ because liz truss touched it. and claire, finally, on the _ because liz truss touched it. and claire, finally, on the issue of tax, again i am going to throw forward to 2024 general election, with taxes is the highest as they are right now, it makes it an intriguing pre—election debate between the conservative party and labour. it between the conservative party and labour. . ., , ., , labour. it certainly does. labour will be looking _ labour. it certainly does. labour will be looking at _ labour. it certainly does. labour will be looking at this _ labour. it certainly does. labour will be looking at this and - labour. it certainly does. labour| will be looking at this and looking at the _ will be looking at this and looking at the £58 billion whole the nation finances _ at the £58 billion whole the nation finances find itself in and rubbing their— finances find itself in and rubbing their hands in glory domestically,
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because _ their hands in glory domestically, because this could be electoral gold for them _ because this could be electoral gold for them in 2024 —— rubbing their hands _ for them in 2024 —— rubbing their hands in— for them in 2024 —— rubbing their hands in glee. because trussonomics so toxic. _ hands in glee. because trussonomics so toxic. if— hands in glee. because trussonomics so toxic, ifjeremy hunt does not mind _ so toxic, ifjeremy hunt does not mind being — so toxic, ifjeremy hunt does not mind being unconservative if it means— mind being unconservative if it means staying away from it. we're auoin to means staying away from it. we're going to stick _ means staying away from it. we're going to stick with _ means staying away from it. we're going to stick with politics - means staying away from it. we're going to stick with politics and - means staying away from it. we're going to stick with politics and go l going to stick with politics and go to the times. there headline... party pledges to, and it looks like they have got a new slogan, prevent, punish and protect. hat they have got a new slogan, prevent, punish and protect.— punish and protect. not quite a new slouan, punish and protect. not quite a new slogan. because _ punish and protect. not quite a new slogan, because that _ punish and protect. not quite a new slogan, because that was _ punish and protect. not quite a new| slogan, because that was announced in the new statesman just ahead of labour party conference this year. you might have missed it because that was at the high point of the liz truss era and there was quite a lot else going on, but, yes, this is labour trying as well as winning, albeit, the economic message, trying to be the party of law and order, not an issue they have been
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particular strong on, but trying to

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