The government is facing mounting pressure as unions prepare for what they describe as the largest public sector strike in a generation, following a difficult Autumn Statement. The dispute centres on public sector pensions, with Chancellor George Osborne arguing that current schemes are unsustainable, while unions object to plans requiring members to pay more and work longer for their pensions.
On tonight's Newsnight, Jeremy Paxman will host a debate between Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude and PCS Union general secretary Mark Serwotka. The programme will also compare the economic situations of two families—one from the public sector and one from the private sector—and feature analysis from Economics editor Paul Mason on whether the UK faces a decade of economic pain due to flatlining growth.
In other news, a report by former Lord Chief Justice Lord Woolf has heavily criticised the London School of Economics over its links with the Gaddafi regime in Libya. The school's director resigned in March after a £1.5m gift from a foundation led by Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif, a former student. Lord Desai, who was an internal examiner for Saif Gaddafi's PhD, will be interviewed on the programme.
