|
By Robbie Gibb
Programme Producer, BBC Newsnight
|
Presented by Jeremy Paxman
Pensions
Ten years after Gordon Brown delivered his first ever Budget, papers released under Freedom of Information laws reveal that he was warned beforehand that abolishing dividend tax relief could wipe £75bn from pension fund values. Today Lord Turner, former head of CBI, came out to deny Treasury claims that the business group had lobbied for the pension tax changes, and the current CBI boss has accused the Treasury of indulging in "spin".
Our economics editor Stephanie Flanders will be trying to establish just how much blame for the country's pension crisis can be laid at the Chancellor's door. And what effect will the timing of this latest controversy have on Mr Brown's campaign to become party leader?
Iran
Iran has said that it will show no further footage of the 15 British Naval personnel held in their custody on Iranian TV, because of a "positive change" in the UK's stance on the dispute. Iran has also reported that all 15 Britons now accept they were in Iranian territorial waters when they were picked up well over a week ago. We'll be interviewing the former ambassador Craig Murray who claims that the British can not be certain whether they were indeed in Iranian waters.
Elections
Michael Crick has been sent to Scotland on a sleeper. Not merely to get him out of the office, but to cover the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections. Things don't look so good for Labour north of the border, with the SNP ahead in the polls. Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives launched their manifesto today and firmly ruled out any idea of a coalition with rival parties.
Immigration
On 1 January this year, Romania and Bulgaria were admitted into the EU, but the UK placed restrictions on the ability of their nationals to work here. 20,000 jobs are available in low-paid work like farming and food processing; permits are available for specific skilled jobs; alternatively, they can be here if they're self-employed. But many have fallen foul of British regulations.
Tonight, our correspondent Tim Whewell meets Danny. He's been camping out in a tent in Hyde Park since arriving in the UK three weeks ago. And he's not the only one - how are so many managing to arrive here without work or a home?
Falklands anniversary
It's 25 years since the invasion of the Falkland Islands. Newsnight recalls some of the coverage of the conflict.