Thailand Glitter, Beijing gold?

Last Modified: 20 Aug 2008
By: Newsroom blogger

In the morning meeting.

A busy news day with - especially for August - a hefty amount of domestic action.

The Competition Commission has recommended that BAA sell three of its seven airports - two in the south east, and one in Scotland. The big question is what this means for the passenger - would we notice a difference?

"Even if we have competition, if there is no spare capacity then there's no incentive for airlines to pay less - airports can charge whatever they want in terms of landing fees."

"The problem isn't the cost, it's the service."

"The model has been to fill airports with retail, and try to make money out of the passenger."

"You wouldn't want them to close the shops, because it means there's something to do when your flight's delayed."

"It would be interesting to ask an airport architect what could actually be changed to make the passenger experience better."

Another airport-related story, as former pop star and convicted paedophile Gary Glitter refuses to leave Bangkok airport for the UK, saying he has had a heart attack.

The Home Office appears to have rushed out proposals to tighten travel controls on paedophiles to coincide with his release from a Vietnam jail - could we be heading for a "Gary's law"?

We're expecting a relatively quiet day in Beijing - at least, quiet by the standards of yesterday's spectacular gold rush. Today's British haul so far stacks up to a silver and bronze in swimming, plus a bronze in sailing - all bagged by women.

The shadow chancellor, George Osborne, will be making a speech on fairness, on which he claims Labour is failing. But could the Conservatives do any better? We will look at the party's policies - or lack of them - and hope to speak to the man himself at 7pm tonight.