Bishop of Southwark

We were wrong to say in our headlines (June 6, 2007, front page and page 4) that the report of Judge Rupert Bursell, QC, into a complaint of drunkenness against Dr Tom Butler, the Bishop of Southwark, had concluded that Dr Butler was drunk. Judge Bursell did not hear any evidence or reach any conclusions as to the truth of the complaint. We apologise to Dr Butler for the distress and embarrassment this must have caused him.

Times archive Jun 6, 2007: Leaked report into Bishop of Southwark

Times archive Dec 19, 2006: Bishop of Southwark denies being drunk

Immigration raids

Police arrested 15 people over a large-scale operation helping illegal immigrants into Britain. Officers raided nine addresses in London and seized forged documents and more than £10,000 in cash. Eight people were arrested for falsifying documents and/or helping illegal immigrants into Britain and seven were arrested for immigration offences.

Pregnancy ‘cost job’

Samantha Rowden, 34, who earned £83,500 a year as head of acquisitions for three Sky channels, lost her job five days after telling her bosses that she was pregnant, Croydon Employment Tribunal was told. Her employers had previously told her that she had a bright future with them. The hearing continues.

Post strike looms

Postal workers are expected to back a national strike – the first for 11 years – in three separate ballots today of 130,000 Royal Mail counter staff, delivery workers and cash handlers on issues of pay, post office closures and cost cuts. The Communication Workers’ Union could call a strike as early as next week.

Sassoon withdrawal

The Military Cross awarded to Siegfried Sassoon was withdrawn yesterday from auction at the last minute. The medal, which Sassoon was thought to have thrown away in protest at the carnage of the First World War but which was found in a descendant's attic, had been expected to fetch £25,000.

Six go speed dating with Miss Wigan

Labour’s six deputy leadership candidates went “speed dating” on radio yesterday (Fran Yeoman writes).

Each was given 6½ minutes on Radio 5 Live to chat up two listeners: Vicci Goulding, Miss Wigan 2007, and Ged Sweeney, a former Labour Party member who left over tuition fees.

Mindful of the forthcoming final of Miss England, Ms Goulding asked Harriet Harman what her special talent would be. “I think my talent would be encouraging people,” the nonplussed Justice Minister managed.

Mr Sweeney, a technical services manager from Evesham, was not impressed by Peter Hain suggesting that those selling houses should pay stamp duty rather than buyers, and voted him bottom of the pile. Neither was he won over by Alan Johnson nor Hazel Blears. Hilary Benn was his hot date. But Ms Harman and Jon Cruddas also got a tentative thumbs-up.

Ms Goulding was eventually seduced by Ms Harman – “a very 21st-century lady” with, incidentally, “a very nice handbag”.

Blair changes tack on Freedom Act

Tony Blair backed moves to shield MPs from the legal duty to disclose information yesterday, saying that politicians already faced a “huge amount of scrutiny” (Greg Hurst writes).

After weeks in which Downing Street kept out of the row, the Prime Minister changed tack and voiced sympathy with the plan. His comments came as he was challenged at Prime Minister’s Questions by David Winnick, MP for Walsall North, one of the few Labour MPs who has opposed a move to exempt the Commons from the Freedom of Information Act.

The private members’ Bill, steered through the Commons by former Conservative chief whip David Maclean, has gone to the Lords. No date for a second reading has been fixed.

Staff sacked after home packs delay

A company that was planning to carry out energy assessments for home information packs has closed after the Government’s decision to delay the introduction of the packs (Jill Sherman writes).

Energy-assessors.com had been expecting to provide staff for hundreds of thousands of reports. It made 100 people redundant. Stephen Callaghan, a director, said: “We cannot afford to employ people when the future is so unclear.”

Home information packs, which were expected to come into force on June 1, have been delayed until August 1 and will only apply to houses with four bedrooms or more. The Government has failed to provide any timetable for smaller houses and flats.

Lords back plan to boost pension fund

Peers defeated the Government yesterday over its plans to help people who lost their pensions when companies went bust by supporting a more generous plan to replace their retirement income (Greg Hurst writes).

The Lords backed a Conservative plan to increase a so-called “lifeboat” fund to pay full pensions to 125,000 people left with little or nothing when their employers became insolvent.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers combined to ensure that the Government was defeated by 181 votes to 126 during the committee stage of the Pensions Bill. Ministers will now seek to overturn it when the Bill comes back to the Commons.

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