8:25am UK, Thursday August 28, 2008

Guinness and Smirnoff owner Diageo has unveiled a nine percent increase in its operating profit.

Sales of Guinness were up six percent overall

It made just over £2.3bn in the year to June 30 compared to £2.12bn the year before.

The drinks giant says the figures were boosted by sales of scotch in Latin America and beer in Africa.

Overall sales were up five percent in the US and three percent in Europe.

The latter was thanks to an improved performance in Eastern Europe, Russia and the UK.

There were big increases in sales of all the firms leading brands thanks to “great” advertising campaigns.

The amount of Guinness sold rose by six percent, Smirnoff vodka by 10% and Johnny Walker whisky by 12%.

Chief executive Paul Walsh said: “The combination of Diageo’s leading brands and our global reach has delivered another year of strong organic growth.”

He revealed net sales were up seven percent and operating profit nine percent. 

 

 

12:13pm UK, Thursday August 21, 2008

Ursula Errington, Sky News, Westminster

As Labour’s poll rating hits it’s lowest in more than 30 years Ursula Errington reports on Gordon Brown travelling to Beijing.

Brown travels to Beijing as Labour hits Lowest Poll Rating in 30 Years

If Gordon Brown hoped the glory of Team GB in Beijing could rub off on his own team GB at Westminster, he’ll be feeling a bit disappointed.

On his way to the Olympic finale, he’s still finding himself batting back questions of rifts within the party and dodging punchy inquiries as to whether the next election could already be lost.

The latest poll figures will leave him feeling worse than a sprinter who knows Usain Bolt is in the next lane.

A telephone survey of 1,005 people conducted over three days in August by the research company IPSOS / Mori - gives Labour it’s lowest voter rating for more than 30 years.

Twice as many people polled said they would vote Tory as would vote Labour, with 24 points separating the two parties - the biggest gap recorded since the pollster’s records began in 1977.

More than three quarters of those questioned said they were unhappy with the way the country is being run, with 58% believing that Mr Cameron’s Tories are ready for office.

That Conservative lead seems to have pervaded most areas of policy. 

A point ahead when it comes to education, three points in the lead when it comes to the environment and housing.

But perhaps most worrying of all for the man who has always pitched himself as the safest handler of the country’s purse strings.

The Tories have a whopping 15 point lead when it comes to perceptions of which party has the best ability to run the economy.

There’s a very personal message for Gordon Brown too - 75% of those polled said they were dissatisfied with his performance.

Here’s what really hurts - 39% of those would classify themselves as definite Labour supporters.

So what will it take to keep the wheels of Gordon Brown’s government rolling, to sail through these inarguably choppy waters and retain the top spot of the rostrum?

Perhaps the Prime Minister is going to Beijing to ask Britain’s Olympians for advice.

5:19am UK, Thursday August 28, 2008

Bill Clinton has thrown his weight behind Barack Obama after the Illinois senator was officially confirmed as the first black man ever to run for US President.

Bill Clinton’s image looks on as Barack Obama addresses the crowd

Delegates from across the country were voting on who should front their bid for the White House at the Democratic Party Convention in Denver, Colorado, when Mr Clinton’s wife, Senator Hillary Clinton, dramatically interrupted proceedings.

She moved that Senator Obama be nominated as candidate by acclamation - dispensing with the need to ask each state which way its representatives had voted.

“With eyes firmly fixed on the future, in the spirit of unity, with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let’s declare together in one voice right here, right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president,” she said.

Her motion was received with roars of approval from the thousands of delegates gathered in the hall.

They erupted into loud cheers and applause once again when former president Bill Clinton took to the stage.

He spoke of his wife’s unsuccessful campaign against Mr Obama, but added that he would now do everything he could to elect her former rival.

“Hillary (has) told us in no uncertain terms that she’ll do everything she can to elect Barack Obama,” Mr Clinton said.

“That makes two of us.”

He continued: “Barack Obama is ready to be President of the United States.”

He added that prior to his election to the Oval Office in 1992, Republicans unsuccessfully tried to portray him as too young and inexperienced - a strategy they are repeating with Mr Obama.

He also urged Hillary voters to get behind Mr Obama - something analysts say will be vital if the Democrats are to win.

Later, Joe Biden was formally nominated as vice-presidential candidate by the same process of acclamation that had confirmed Mr Obama’s place in history.

Senator Biden paid tribute to the Clintons before telling the crowd he accepted the nomination to be Mr Obama’s running mate.

He echoed the mantra heard from other speakers about the loss of the American Dream under the George W Bush government, and the “conversations around the kitchen table once the kids have gone to bed” about the rising cost of living.

He praised John McCain, saying “his courage and heroism amazes me”, but added that he profoundly disagrees with his policies and went on to criticise his voting record and closeness to President Bush.

Mr Obama then made a surprise appearance, taking to the stage to pay tribute to his wife, Michelle, and the Clintons, 24 hours ahead of his set-piece speech in front of 70,000 people at a local sports stadium and millions more across the country. 

After watching events unfold inside the convention hall, Sky News political editor Adam Boulton said: “Tonight we’ve seen the passing of control of the Democratic Party from the Clintons to Obama and Biden.

“It was interesting that when Obama came on stage he was applauded, but the crowd didn’t go as wild as it did for the Clintons. 

“(Mr Obama) has really put the pressure on himself for tomorrow night. He’s got to introduce himself to America. 

“Millions of people are still unsure of who this guy is and where he’s going.”

Watch Bill Clinton’s speech from the Democratic Convention. Scroll down for text of his remarks and more video.

Barack Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, became the first African-American ever nominated for president by a major political party after delegates to the Democratic National Convention chose him as their standard-bearer Wednesday.

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