Behind the scenes, he helped devise and finance a strike-breaking strategy by giving active support to those who wanted to get back to their pits.

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The airline asked why, if strike-breaking was the aim, it had involved the TUC and the conciliation service Acas to try to reach a negotiated settlement with the union in the dispute with cabin crew.

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The government was in court within hours seeking an injunction to stop the strike - the POA has admitted breaking a "no-strike" deal but said it was a desperate move by demoralised staff in overcrowded jails.

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It is widely assumed that it would strike down any law openly breaking with one tradition of German taxation: that corporate- and income-tax rates must be about the same.

ECONOMIST: The prospects for tax reform recede, unfortunately